Low sodium when dining out

FerrisBueller86

In the interest of immune system health, I've been avoiding all junk foods since the spring of 2020. Depending on whether the pandemic ends, I may eat restaurant food again by summer.

I don't miss the food coma from the overdoses of bad fats. I don't miss the unquenchable thirst from the sodium overdoses.

I've looked at the nutritional information from several restaurants. Out of all the nutritional pitfalls of dining out, the sodium overdoses are hardest to avoid.

I suspect that the food coma and unquenchable thirst may be more pronounced for me in the future. Also, my taste buds are likely more sensitive than they used to be.

How do you avoid the sodium overdoses when eating out? From what I've read, I should call ahead and ask if the salt can be omitted. I understand that the biggest chains are least likely to have this flexibility, because the food is usually pre-salted at the factory.

Susan_RD_101

@FerrisBueller86

It's wonderful to see how proactive you are with your health! Unfortunately, I don't think there's a great solution as all restaurants use copious amounts of salt (and other tasty, but not so healthy, ingredients). For this reason, I encourage people to limit their frequency of restaurant food. Ultimately, restaurant meals should only be consumed 1-2 x per month for optimal health.

Governments and public health agencies are also concerned about sodium intake given the prevalence of high blood pressure. In Canada, there is a sodium reduction strategy in place but it's been optional for food companies to participate. This will most likely change in the future.

Best of luck on your health journey!

FerrisBueller86

How do you avoid the sodium bombs when you travel? Eating a healthy diet at home is easy enough, but it's so much more difficult when traveling.

Susan_RD_101

@FerrisBueller86

If you can, head to a local grocery store and purchase as much fresh, seasonal food as you can (salad bars where you can actually build your own salad is a great option). In Canada, I recommend Freshii as you can build some pretty healthy bowls from whole food ingredients.

The ingredients I'd try to limit include:

• anything pickled/fermented
• excess sauces (this is where most of the sodium lives so choose one sauce or low sodium)
• cheese
• processed meats

Lastly, if you have the option to read the nutrition facts table, choose products with a %DV that's as low as you can find.

Kind regards,