Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Why is There so Much Sodium in Processed Foods?

People who need to cut back on their sodium are almost always told to cut back on processed foods, even foods that may not seem salty. That's because sodium is frequently used as a preservative and flavoring for many processed foods, either as salt or a component of special food additives.
You notice I don't say "salt". Salt is sodium, but there's more to sodium than salt, so it doesn't have to taste salty to have a lot of sodium.

Sodium as a Preservative

Using salt as a food additive is nothing new. In fact, it's been used as a preservative for centuries.
Salt is made up of sodium and chloride ions that reduce something called the water activity of foods. The water activity is the amount of water that's available for supporting bacteria growth or allowing other chemical reactions to take place.
Salt might also draw water out of any bacteria present, which kills them or, at least, slows them down quite a bit. In addition, salt enhances fermentation, which can be used as another technique for preserving foods.
Salt is an effective preservative on its own, but sometimes additional chemicals are necessary. Some of them work just like salt does to change the water activity, but others work by altering the chemical reactions that would typically result in spoiled foods and rancid fats. 
Sodium-containing preservatives include:
  • disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid
  • sodium acetate
  • sodium ascorbate
  • sodium benzoate
  • sodium diacetate
  • sodium erythorbate
  • sodium lactate
  • sodium nitrate
  • sodium nitrite
  • sodium phosphates
  • sodium propionate
  • sodium sulfite
You'll find these chemicals in a variety of foods including salad dressings, canned foods, baked goods, cured meats, canned meats, cheese, jams, jellies and fruit fillings. Look at the ingredients listed on the packages.

Sodium as a Flavor Enhancer

Salt is a flavor enhancer that you probably use in your cooking or at the table.
But that accounts for just a small amount of the average daily intake of sodium -- less than 25 percent. You can use table salt and still stay under the recommended daily sodium intake of 1,500 to 2,400 milligrams as long as you avoid other sodium-containing ingredients.
Some flavorings that don't contain salt still contain large amounts of sodium. Monosodium glutamate strengthens your perception of the umami flavor found in savory foods like meat and fish. Sodium acetate is another flavor enhancer that is only slightly salty in taste, but it appears to suppress bitter flavors in foods, so it enhances the perception of sweet flavors. Soy sauce is also used as a flavor-enhancing ingredient, and it's extremely high in sodium.

Watching Your Sodium Intake

Look for sodium on the Nutrition Facts label. Even 'reduced sodium' foods can still contain more sodium than you expect. Sodium is listed is milligrams per serving, and that may not mean the whole package. If you eat a whole can of chicken soup, you're really eating two or three servings, so make sure you account for all the sodium.

Common processed foods that are high in sodium include:
  • baked goods (including bread and buns)
  • processed cheese 
  • lunch meats, bacon, and sausage
  • pasta meals like mac and cheese in a box or spaghetti in a can
  • pizza (frozen or fresh)
  • snack foods such as chips and even some crackers
  • soup (canned, or powdered)
  • sauces and gravies
  • packaged rice and pasta side dishes
If you're trying to lose weight too much sodium will keep you from losing weight. 

You can tweet me at #ray0369

I write several blogs, check out some of my other sites.
If you really want to lose your body fat than look for my Ebooks at the websites listed below. You'll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet.
There’s two ebooks. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $1.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my Ebook. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.
My new ebook is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page. I’ll give you a discount coupon you can use at checkout. (PJ42H) not case-sensitive the price is $1.99 w/coupon
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)