#309 Salt: Friend or Frenemy? Tell a friend

Where would we be without salt?

James Beard

Salt: Taste Bud Thriller or Silent Killer?

By Joe Wilkes

Salt ShakerSalt: No fat. No calories. Not to mention, delicious! What's not to love? Well, as most of us know, too much salt can be a major contributor to high blood pressure, which can lead to heart disease, stroke, or kidney disorders. But our bodies also need a certain amount of salt every day as it is required by all cells to maintain fluid balance, and it is vital for proper nerve and muscle function. And as salt is excreted mainly through urine and sweat, the most intense exercisers need even more of it to maintain a proper balance. So how much salt should we be consuming? Read on to find out how much salt you should consume plus where extra salt gets hidden in food and some tips on how you can reduce your sodium consumption.

How much salt do we need?

While it varies with each person, depending on their age, size, activity level, etc., it is generally agreed that our bodies need about 500 mg of sodium a day for proper functioning. That's about a quarter of a teaspoon of table salt (sodium chloride, the most typical source of sodium). The federal government recommends a daily maximum of 2,400 mg of sodium. Most of us average about 5,000 mg of sodium per day—10 times as much as our bodies require and more than twice what's recommended. So unless you're working out A LOT and excreting excess sodium, you may be getting way more than you need, which can lead to the myriad health problems associated with high blood pressure. The American Medical Association has estimated that a 50 percent reduction in sodium usage in processed and restaurant food could save 150,000 lives every year. But even if you don't believe in or care about the medical repercussions of excess salt consumption, how about this little tidbit? It is estimated that most of us are carrying around an extra five pounds of water weight, retained simply because of too much salt in our bodies. Drop five pounds of water weight just by passing up the salt shaker? Sounds like a good deal to me!

Salt Shaker and Taking Blood Pressure

Where salt hides . . .

But passing up the salt shaker may not be enough. Almost all processed foods contain high levels of sodium. For example, that Quarter Pounder with Cheese at McDonald's will pump you with almost 1,200 mg of sodium, more than twice what your body needs and half of the government's daily recommendation. But even if you eschew the burger for its fat and calories, there's salt in other places too. One cup of Cheerios contains 200 mg of salt, so you're kicking off your day with 8 percent of your sodium recommendation.

Read the Nutrition LabelWhy so much salt? Salt has been used as a preservative for centuries to cure meats and pickle vegetables, among other uses. And while we have developed new preservatives over the years, salt has other advantages as a food additive. It can thicken soups and sauces. It can make breads, cookies, and crackers moister. It can enhance certain flavors like sweet and sour and can mask other flavors, like chemical additives in soft drinks. So even if you're steering clear of salty treats like pretzels, pickles, and popcorn, you may find you're getting a fair amount of sodium from food items that don't even taste salty, if you check labels carefully.

Also, if you tend to purchase a lot of diet or light foods, you may find that they have pretty high sodium levels. By adding extra salt, manufacturers can make food taste better yet still advertise them as low-calorie, low-fat products. Extra salt can also be snuck in the ingredient list under different names, such as monosodium glutamate (MSG), sodium caseinate, trisodium phosphate, sodium ascorbate, or sodium bicarbonate (baking soda). So even if salt isn't in the ingredient list or spread out over the ingredient list under different names, it's worth checking the overall sodium content on the nutrition label to determine the total sodium content. And don't forget to take the serving size into account. Many food manufacturers will say that their product contains several tiny servings of salt instead of a couple of regular servings to minimize the less savory elements of the product's nutritional profile.

How to avoid the salt traps

ActiVit® MulitivitaminsShake the shaker. How many times have you seen yourself or someone you know be served a plate of food and mindlessly begin salting it, before even tasting it? I know I've been guilty of it. I love salt and can think of few meals that couldn't be improved by adding salt. But at least taste your food first before you add salt—especially in restaurants, where for top chefs to fast-food flippers, salt is often the secret ingredient, and adding more of it is probably unnecessary. If you do think it needs a little salt, shake a little salt into the palm of your hand, so you can at least eyeball the amount you're going to eat (not to mention that it'll save your dish from the old unscrew-the-top-of-the-salt-shaker prank). At home, think about dumping the salt shaker and switching to a saltcellar. A saltcellar is a little covered bowl that holds salt. That way you can visually measure a little pinch and not shake out an unknown amount over your food. You might also consider switching to sea salt, or for the gourmets, one of the fancier fleur de sel products on the market. Sea salts generally contain trace amounts of minerals like iron, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and/or zinc. This doesn't boost the nutritional profile of sea salt (try nutritionals like ActiVit® or Core Cal-Mag™ for effective mineral supplementation), but it offers a more complex flavor so that less may taste like more.

Take processed meats out of the process. And I'm devastated to say, this includes bacon. Just two delicious slices contain about 400 mg of sodium. One beef hot dog contains 600 mg of sodium (a quarter of the recommended allotment) and a turkey dog is only a little better at 500 mg. One slice of bologna gets you about 300 mg. Most turkey breast lunch meat is as bad as bologna. And if it's labeled smoked, oven-roasted, mesquite, etc., it's usually code for extra salty. Try looking for the low-sodium varieties or save money by roasting your own whole turkey breast, so you can control the salt content.

Crock PotSoup's off. Soup is a great low-calorie meal or snack. Unless it's a creamy variety, it's usually low in fat and a good vegetable delivery system. But watch out for the salt content! One cup of Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup contains 1,780 mg of sodium. That's almost three-quarters of your daily allowance. Their Healthy Request version is better. A cup of that has 940 mg of sodium. You might think about making your own chicken broth from scratch using fresh vegetables for flavor instead of salt. Make a big batch and freeze or can it for later.

Freeze out the frozen dinner. Men's Health magazine recently published a survey about some of America's saltiest foods and found that Swanson's Hungry Man XXL Roasted Carved Turkey packed in a whopping 4,480 mg of sodium. That's approaching 2 days' worth. It also has 1,360 calories and 70 grams (more than a day's worth) of fat, so there're plenty of reasons not to eat this dish. But several of the lean frozen meals on the market also contain high levels of sodium to make up for the lack of fat or sugar for flavor. And frozen pizza? Fuhgeddaboutit! Two slices of pepperoni will run you about 1,000 mg of sodium.

Frozen VegetablesCan the canned vegetables. Or at least the ones that aren't low-sodium. Manufacturers add as much as 1,200 mg of salt to a can of vegetables for flavor and preservation. Try buying no-salt-added varieties or frozen veggies, which usually have less salt. Or at the very least, make sure to drain the canned veggies well and rinse them in water to try to get some of the salt out.

The usual suspects. I won't even bother depressing you with how much salt the fast food restaurants put in their food, even the healthier ones. I found out that a single flame-grilled chicken breast from my much-loved El Pollo Loco has 617 mg of sodium. Adding up the sodium from my sides of pinto beans, mashed potatoes, and trips to the salsa bar, and my "heart-healthy" grilled chicken meal has racked up over 3,300 mg of sodium. No wonder I have dry mouth all night when I eat there.

No salt? No problem.

So the most important thing to do is check the labels of everything you eat and make sure you're not getting more salt than you bargained for—or as I call it, committing to a life of bland, joyless eating. But, with a little ingenuity, you can find ways to replace salt with other flavors or at least maximize the enjoyment of the salt you do allow yourself. It's also important to remember that as you start to remove salt from your diet, your palate may miss it a lot at first, but if you stick with it, you'll be amazed how much better food starts to taste as you get the salt monkey off your back. Here are some ideas for replacing salt with flavor.

Plant Your Own HerbsHerbs. And let me say for the record, I know every article about sodium talks about Mrs. Dash, but I don't think it tastes very good. I'd much rather have fresh herbs, either from my local farmers' market or my balcony garden. With herbs like basil, rosemary, oregano, thyme, chives, etc., I chop a bunch of my favorites on Sunday and keep them in a zip-lock bag in my fridge for when I want to sprinkle a little flavor on something. Fresh herbs give foods a lot of zing, and it's fun to experiment with different flavor combinations. Some of the herbs even have their own beneficial properties.

Heat. As much of a salt addict as I am, I'm even more of a hot tooth. And the good news about that is that most spicy peppers and hot sauces are actually good for you, or at the very worst not bad for you. Some hot sauces add too much salt, so it's label-reading time again, and the peck of pickled peppers are better left to Peter of the rhyme. Besides, once you start enjoying chopped fresh (not pickled) jalapeños, you'll wonder why you ever liked those salty old pickles. If you're lucky enough to live in a city with a Penzey's or a similar spice specialty store, they are a great resource for coming up with salt-free seasonings, rubs, and exotic paprikas and curries to give your dishes flavor without a side of hypertension. Another tip while you're weaning yourself off the salty stuff is to make your own seasoned salt blend. Mix a batch with a small amount of salt plus a combination of your favorite herbs and spices. Every time you make a new batch, decrease the ratio of salt to spice a little until, one fine day, you're not including any salt at all. It's like a nicotine patch for saltaholics.

LemonsCitrus. While your taste buds devoted to salt may be crying foul, you can delight the sour part of your palate by adding more tart flavors to your food. I'm a big fan of those little plastic lemons and limes (Sicilia is a good brand) full of juice that you can keep in your fridge for a little squeeze of flavor when you don't feel like chopping up the whole fruit. I avoid the reconstituted juices though—they taste a little funky to me. Think about what other veggies, sauces, or dishes could benefit from a little bit of juice. I love lemon juice on rice or couscous. It makes me totally forget about high-sodium soy sauce.

Other condiments. Other good options from the condiment aisle include mustard, vinegar, and no-salt-added ketchup to make your sandwiches perk up when you're using low-sodium lunch meat and bread (yep, you gotta check the bread labels too). You can get out the blender and make your own spreads by grinding up ingredients like roasted red peppers (low-sodium variety, of course), chickpeas for hummus, or whatever other foods your imagination can come up with. Who needs the salt?

Related Articles
"Artificial Sweeteners: How Harmful Are They?"
"10 Scariest Fast Food Dishes"
"6 Foods with Hidden Sugar"


Back to top.

Featured from the Beachbody Store
Sweat and the City

Want to get into that little black dress? These ladies will get you there.
Turbo Jam® Maximum Results
Turbo Jam® Maximum Results
Learn More

Slim in 6®

Slim in 6®
Learn More

Yoga Booty Ballet®

Yoga Booty Ballet®
Learn More
Consult your physician before beginning any exercise program.

Beachbody Store

Back to top.

5 Tips for Healthy Hair

By Carla Lord

In Need of a Hair StylistSure, we want our hair to look like that of our favorite celebrities, from Sarah Jessica Parker to Beyoncé to Jennifer Aniston to Rihanna. But without a Hollywood budget, it can be hard to know how best to care for our tresses. From musicals about it to controversies about its length, our hair makes a statement, and it can be an important part of who we are—whether we decide to wear it long or shave it all off. (Britney, anyone?) But what is hair, really, and how can we make the most of it?

A brief introduction: a head of hair generally has 100,000 to 150,000 strands of hair, with each strand going through its own life cycle. We lose about 50 to 100 hairs per day. And while that may sound like a large amount, it's actually quite fortunate for us. Imagine if every strand had the same life cycle—they'd fall out together and grow back together! Hair is made primarily of a protein called keratin, which is also found in our nails and even in the horns and hooves of animals. Hair also contains water; fats known as lipids that come from our sebaceous glands and give our hair luster and elasticity; and melanin (the pigment that gives our hair its color—in fact, as we age, our hair tends to turn white or appear grey due to the loss of this pigmentation).

Hair is only nurtured for a short time in the follicle, which is deep down in our skin (in the dermis), and by the time we see our precious locks, they're actually no longer alive! Of course, we can still treat our hair with a healthy dose of TLC to keep it strong and beautiful. Here are a few handy tips for healthy hair.

Shampoo and Shampoo Ingredients

  1. Look for products that suit your hair type. Natural, organic products often do not contain man-made chemicals and products that, over time, do more damage than good. A word to the wise: If you see petrolatum (or its various forms), mineral oil, or even paraffin in the ingredients list, be aware that those are forms of petroleum! There are dozens of natural products on the market nowadays, so look for ingredients such as biotin; vitamins A and E; papaya; and oils derived from carrot, jojoba, or coconut, among many others. Rosemary and tea tree oils can be found in many natural products that fight dandruff, excessive dryness, and scalp irritations.

  2. Wear a Swimming CapBe gentle with your hair. Although dry hair is incredibly strong—some studies have found that a single strand can withstand up to 100 grams' worth of weight—it has its limits. When hair is wet, it's at its weakest; and therefore, more damage can be done after a shampoo, shower, or swim. Avoid stressing your hair when it's wet, such as exposing it to harsh brushing. If you're an avid swimmer, take a swimming cap along for extra protection. This will not only protect against water damage but sun and chemical damage as well.

  3. Washing HairCool down. Don't kick your hair while it's down—try to let your hair dry without added heat. Hair dryers give off excessive heat, and as we previously mentioned, wet hair is weak. Heat, in general, can be quite damaging, so it's recommended that you avoid the use of curling or flat irons. Heat and rays from the sun can be detrimental and can actually cause hair to lose its color with prolonged exposure. Also, when shampooing and rinsing, try to use cooler rather than hotter water. You might also save on your gas or electricity bill, too!

  4. Eat HealthilyTreat your body right, and your hair will follow. That means exercise (try Slim in 6®, 10-Minute Trainer®, Turbo Jam®, or Yoga Booty Ballet®), eat healthily, hydrate, take your vitamins (try ActiVit® Multivitamins), and get enough rest. All roads to good health really do lead back to these essentials. The roots of our hair get a blood supply too; therefore, what you put in your body has a direct correlation to your hair's health from the outset. We can't stress enough that a healthy and fit you means a healthy and fit entire you, including your hair, as well as your skin, nails, and outlook.

  5. Hair StylistFind a knowledgeable stylist. While all of the tips you're reading now will provide a good basis, a stylist can give you more specific help with your particular hair type, and can help keep you informed, from when you need a trim to what hairstyles will work best for you. And, even at home, you can give your hair "spa days." This doesn't mean you need to wash your hair in Evian as it's been reported that Demi Moore has done. It can be as simple as deep conditioning your hair and taking time to give your scalp a gentle massage. Gentle brushing (dry hair, of course) can stimulate blood circulation in the scalp, which promotes healthier, more fortified hair follicles.

Related Articles
"6 Ways to Boost Your Antioxidant Levels"
"10 Tips to Creating a Perfect Body Image"
"10 Reasons to Fast"


Back to top.

Test Your Salty Fast Food IQ!

By Joe Wilkes

Never let it be said that your local fast food establishment isn't doing its part to make sure you get your recommended daily allowance (RDA) of sodium. Why, some of them can give you your entire day's worth (2,400 mg) with one menu item! Rank these fast-food sodium Hall-of-Famers in order from least to most milligrams of sodium.

  1. McDonald's 5-Piece Chicken Selects Premium Breast StripsMcDonald's 5-Piece Chicken Selects Premium Breast Strips – 1,680 mg of sodium. The Golden Arches were actually one of the better chains in terms of purveying salt. Granted, the bar is set pretty low, and you're still going to get plenty of salt when you hit Mickey D's. What's amazing is how unhealthy the Chicken Selects are. Premium must be McDonald's speak for "loaded with junk." With 660 calories, 40 grams of fat, and 1,680 mg of sodium, don't think you're doing yourself any favors by choosing this white-meat option. The Big Mac only has 540 calories, 29 grams of fat, and 1,040 grams of sodium. Not exactly health food, but if you're gonna splurge, don't assume it's the worst thing on the menu.

  2. Taco Bell Grilled Stuft Chicken BurritosTaco Bell Grilled Stuft Chicken Burrito – 2,160 mg of sodium. Make a run for the border before your heart gives out from hypertension. Taco Bell may have given us the concept of the fourth meal, but this burrito will ensure that you get almost your entire day's worth of sodium in one sitting. But don't worry, you can get up to your full daily allowed 2,400 mg by adding two or three packets of hot sauce. With only 370 mg of sodium, sodium watchers should check out the Crunchy Taco Supreme instead.

  3. KFC Chicken & Biscuit BowlKFC Chicken & Biscuit Bowl – 2,420 mg of sodium. If you're a frequent Beachbody quiz taker, you'll recognize this little bowl of grossness from other quizzes. It also packs 870 calories and 44 grams of fat (a quarter of which are saturated and 4.5 of which are trans—the worst kind). Heard of heart-smart foods? This one's heart-stupid. It's pretty much caulk for your arteries with its fat content, and its sodium content will jack up your blood pressure to get it to flow through your poor, clogged veins. Try the Honey BBQ KFC Snacker instead. It only has 530 mg of sodium. That's still almost a fifth of your RDA, but about as good as you're going to do with the Colonel. Clearly, at least one of the secret herbs and spices is salt.

  4. Pizza Hut 6-Inch Meat Lover's Personal Pan PizzaPizza Hut 6" Meat Lover's Personal Pan Pizza – 2,460 mg of sodium. This just edges out the KFC Chicken & Biscuit Bowl. Its fat and calories are also comparable. There aren't a lot of low-sodium options under the red roof, but a slice of the green pepper, red onion, and diced tomato Fit n' Delicious pizza will only run you about 420 mg. This is a good reminder about how much sodium processed meats bring to the table.

  5. Subway 6-Inch Double Meat Italian BMTSubway 6" Double Meat Italian BMT – 2,850 mg of sodium. This subway's first stop is at the salt mines. If this is what Jared ate to lose all that weight, some of that weight was probably kidney stones. And they even ask if you want extra salt on your sandwich. Classic. This again shows the salty secrets of processed meat. But even the more innocent meats at Subway, like turkey breast, are soaked with 1,000 mg of salt. Your best bet is to skip the meat and get the Veggie Delite sub. The 6" version "only" contains 500 mg of sodium.


Back to top.



Print this page

Beachbody Survey

ChaLEAN Extreme®
Kathy Smith's Project:YOU! Type 2™
Debbie Siebers' Slim in 6®
Brazil Butt Lift®—AVAILABLE NOW!
Now Available—TurboFire®—Intense Cardio Conditioning—Learn More

Follow Beachbody Online


Social Media
Carl Daikeler
Beauty By Beachbody
Steve Edwards
Tony Horton
Chalene Johnson
Message Boards
Beachbody Message Boards
RSS Feeds (What is RSS?)
Beachbody Blog
P90X Extreme Newsletter

Share This Page


Bookmark and Share