Iodine in a Low-Salt Diet

What do saltwater fish and seaweed have in common? Iodine. If you are reducing your salt, you may be missing it. 

When you follow a low-salt diet, you cut back on more than sodium. In the U.S., salt companies fortify their table salt with iodine. Kosher salts and select specialty salts are iodine free. By decreasing salt intake or using Kosher salt vs. table salt, you are reducing iodine consumption, as well. 

Iodine is important to your health, because it synthesizes thyroid hormones. The thyroid impacts metabolism, body temperature, growth, development, and other hormonal processes. If you do not have enough iodine intake, you will have low thyroid levels. 

The Institute of Medicine recommends that adults consume 150 mcg of Iodine per day. If you are following a low-salt diet, you need to ensure you are eating adequate amounts of iodine or are replacing it. 

Naturally, iodine is found most abundantly in seaweed and saltwater fish. Such foods aren't always an option on a low-salt diet. So, look for vitamins with iodine or other iodine fortified foods (some milk, eggs, and cereal now add iodine). 

For more information, consult your provider. 

Sources: IOM, CDC

Iodine in Low-Salt Diets

What do saltwater fish and seaweed have in common? Iodine. If you are reducing your salt, you may be missing it. 

When you follow a low-salt diet, you cut back on more than sodium. In the U.S., salt companies fortify their table salt with iodine. Kosher salts and select specialty salts are iodine free. By decreasing salt intake or using Kosher salt vs. table salt, you are reducing iodine consumption, as well. 

Iodine is important to your health, because it synthesizes thyroid hormones. The thyroid impacts metabolism, body temperature, growth, development, and other hormonal processes. If you do not have enough iodine intake, you will have low thyroid levels. 

The Institute of Medicine recommends that adults consume 150 mcg of Iodine per day. If you are following a low-salt diet, you need to ensure you are eating adequate amounts of iodine or are replacing it. 

Naturally, iodine is found most abundantly in seaweed and saltwater fish. Such foods aren't always an option on a low-salt diet. So, look for vitamins with iodine or other iodine fortified foods (some milk, eggs, and cereal now add iodine). 

For more information, consult your provider. 

Sources: IOM, CDC

Fresh Salsa

Want a healthy game-day snack or appetizer? This Fresh Salsa is what you are looking for! When trying to eat healthy, fresh foods are a must. They have less sodium, less fat, and more nutrients. This doesn't mean that you have to give up any flavor, quite the opposite! Fresh foods provide more flavor and you can definitely taste the difference.

I made this salsa to give me a low-salt alternative to restaurant or jarred salsa. Try it the next time you have company or you are watching the big game!

Ingredients:
6 Plum tomatoes (4 cut into quarters and 2 diced)
3 TBLS chopped cilantro (save a little for garnishing)
1/4 white onion, diced
4 jalapeños, diced with seeds removed
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp Kosher salt

Makes eight 1/4 cup servings with 60 mg of sodium per serving!

Directions:
First, take 4 of the tomatoes and cut into quarters. These will be the base of the salsa. Dice the remaining pieces based on how chunky you like your salsa. If you like it chunky, do a rough dice. If you like it smooth, dice it finely.

Next, dice the onion and jalapeños. Remember to take the seeds out of the jalapeños so it isn't too spicy.

In a processor, place the quartered tomatoes, onions, jalapeños and grind until smooth. Add the salt, chopped cilantro, sugar, and diced tomatoes. (If you are making this in the summer with fresh tomatoes, they will be sweeter and you shouldn't need sugar.) Process again for about 10-30 seconds until the salsa is the consistency that you want. I like mine with a nice liquid base and chunks of tomato and cilantro scattered within.

Pour into a serving bowl and garnish with a little cilantro.

 

Serve with your favorite chips! Refrigerate any leftovers, as this is even better the next day!

 

Turkey Tetrazzini

 

This is a perfect dish for left-over Turkey (or chicken). Traditional tetrazzini recipes use canned soups, lots of cheese, and regular chicken stock. This makes the sodium content add up. My recipe makes 8 heaping servings at 495 mg of sodium per serving. So, you can add this to your "Meals under 500 mg sodium" collection and feel good about eating it.

Ingredients:
6 cups water
8 oz (about 1/2 box) linguine
16 oz mushrooms sliced
1 large bell pepper, diced (I used yellow, here)
1 medium onion, diced
5 cups cooked Turkey, shredded (mine was 394 mg sodium per cup)
1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
2 TBLS butter
2 TBLS AP flour
6 TBLS shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp Kosher salt
1 tsp white pepper
2 slices white bread

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bring the water to boil in a large pot. Pour in linguine and cook 11 minutes. Drain and set aside.

In a saucepan melt the butter. Sauté bell pepper, onion, and mushrooms until tender.

Sprinkle the flour over the mixture. Stir to combine and cook for 1 minute. Then add in the chicken broth and heavy cream. Add 4 TBLS Parmesan cheese, white pepper, and salt. Stir and simmer until the mixture reduces by half. Be sure to stir the mixture frequently to prevent sticking. It will thicken during this process, which is what you are going for. (If you stick your spoon in and it coats the back, it is ready!)

While this is simmering, tear up the bread slices and place them in a food processer. Add the remaining 2 TBLS of parmesan cheese. Pulse until it resembles bread crumbs.

Pour sauce into linguine. Add turkey and stir until all ingredients are combined. 

Pour into a greased baking dish and spread out evenly.

Cover with the breadcrumbs. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Then turn the top broiler on and broil for 1-2 minutes until the bread crumbs are nice and brown. Serve immediately!

NO-BEAN CHILI...FROM SCRATCH

It's finally a little colder outside, which means it's chili weather. Coming in at 450 mg of sodium per serving, this will warm your heart and soul!

When trying to make this low in salt, I eliminated the chili beans, store bought spice packet and processed tomatoes (used my own no-salt home-canned tomatoes).

Ingredients:

Meat mixture:
1 1/3 pound ground hamburger meat
1/4 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 TBLS olive oil

Veggies:
1 bell pepper, diced
1 medium red onion, diced
1 TBLS olive oil
2 cloves garlic, diced

Chili Base:
2 Mason jars of home-canned no-salt tomatoes
6 Mason jars of water (fill up the jars after you use the tomatoes)
4 TBLS double concentrated tomato paste

Spices:
1/2 tsp black pepper
3 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp white pepper (if you don't have this, use regular black pepper)
1 tsp table salt
1 tsp cumin
2 pinches of red pepper flakes
**Mix together and set aside

Green onions for garnish!

Directions:

Heat 1 TBLS of olive oil in a pan. Add meat. Add 1/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper to meat. Brown and drain.

Heat the other tablespoon of olive oil in the pan. Add the bell pepper, onion, and garlic. I used a red onion for this recipe. I find that it is a little more peppery in flavor and has a nice "bite" to it. If you don't have a red onion, any onion will do. Sauté the mixture until all are tender.

Next, pour tomatoes, water, meat, and sautéed veggies into a stock pot. Bring to a boil. Add tomato paste and spices and stir for one minute. Turn down to simmer, stirring occasionally. Let the chili simmer for 30 minutes to one hour, then turn down to low. Keep on low until you serve. Garnish with green onions, if desired.

This makes approximately Eight 1 cup servings at 450 mg of sodium per serving. Enjoy!

Taco Soup

I thought I would share my Low-Sodium Taco Soup. When you limit salt, you have to increase the flavor profiles of your other ingredients. This is done easily by adding spice. Taco Soup is a perfect example of trading spice for salt. 

Ingredients:
1 1b. hamburger meat 
1 jar of home-canned no sodium tomatoes (I will show you how to do this in another post)
1 14.5 oz can of stewed tomatoes
1 bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1/2 white onion, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 packets of low-sodium taco seasoning (found in the Mexican aisle)
2 TBSPs of Cumin--more if you like it!
2 TBSPs of tomato paste
pinch of red pepper flakes
pinch of black pepper
About 30 oz of water (just fill up the tomato can twice with water)
3 TBSPs olive oil
Green Chile split down the middle with seeds removed (optional)

Toppings:
sour cream--aim for 1 Tablespoon per person
sharp cheddar cheese--about 1/8 cup per person
Tortilla chips---about 7 per person
Green Onions

**The key to all of this is to make sure you pick the product with the least amount of sodium as possible. For example, I found a can of stewed tomatoes with 270 mg of sodium per 6 servings and one with 370 mg. I obviously went with the 270 mg can. Also, I shopped around to find a tomato paste tube with 65 mg of sodium per Tablespoon. You may find one lower. 

Also, the more you can do at home, the better. I had some tomatoes I canned that had no salt, whatsoever. By doing it myself, I skipped the salt. That helps tremendously, since I use these tomatoes for the base of several soups, spaghetti, and chili. 

Directions:
Pour the home-canned tomatoes and stewed tomatoes into a large stockpot. Once the can of tomatoes is empty, fill it up with water and pour it in to the pot. Repeat this step---you want to add two full cans of the water. Turn to Med-High and let it bubble. Once bubbling, add one and one half packets of taco seasoning, cumin, red pepper flakes, and black pepper. 

***To make it extra spicy, add a green chile to the stock pot when you add the tomatoes. It will simmer in the soup and ooze a great flavor. This is optional of course! It is also good without it. 

In a skillet, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and turn on a Med-High heat. Sauté the bell pepper and onion until they are translucent and soft. Add them to the stock pot. 

Put the skillet back on the burner and add the final tablespoon of olive oil. Then add the hamburger meat and cook until the meat has browned. You can crumble the meat as much as you like during this stage. If you like chunky soups, don't break the meat up as much while you cook it. 

Drain the meat and add it to the pot. Next, drop in the tomato paste. Stir all of the ingredients until they are well combined. Let the soup simmer for about 15 minutes until all of the flavors "marry."

To serve, ladle in bowls and top with Tortilla chips, cheese, sour cream, and green onions to taste. To keep this low-sodium you need to monitor your toppings carefully. The above amounts listed in ingredients help keep this low. If you go over this amount, adjust your sodium intake, accordingly. 

Makes 8 1/2 cup servings at just under 500 mg of sodium per serving.

Ranch-like Dip

This is a great substitute for your typical ranch dip that is loaded with salt. 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Sour Cream

2 TBSP Mayo

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/8 tsp kosher salt

Green onion tops for garnish

Makes Four 1/8 cup servings at 108 mg sodium per serving! 

Directions: Mix the first six ingredients together. Garnish with green onions. Chill until served. Enjoy!