High blood pressure and Christmas doh mix

By Cherice Bronte-Tinkew, RD

I wish everyone enjoys a wonderful Christmas this year. As a nutrition advocate, it’s important we be mindful of the amount of sodium indulged in around this time. As I prepared for this article and grocery shopping, I recognised the amount of foods which can easily increase one’s sodium intake.

All the Christmas snacks are vibrant and put on display at the front of the grocery. The frozen section has turned into a turkey and ham winter wonderland. We can choose low sodium options or watch our portions to simply avoid an unexpected blood pressure reading by the New Year.

High blood pressure is the elevated force of blood pushing against blood vessel walls in one’s body. It can increase the chances of heart diseases and stroke.

Always consult with your doctor on the readings. Never rely on how you feel or physical symptoms to determine what your blood pressure is. You must take measures with a blood pressure monitor.

There are common foods which have more sodium than usual and cooking preparations which increase sodium. Sodium is a part of salt (sodium chloride) and can be found in many other ingredients such as barbeque sauce, mustard, seasoning powders and brine water.

When browsing the grocery, look for sodium on the Nutrition Facts panel. If the sodium is less than 140mg per serving or 5 per cent less daily value then it is a low sodium option. Many health organisations have suggested adults consume under 2300 mg of sodium per day as general guidelines. This is estimated, less than a teaspoon of salt.

Examples of foods which contain sodium include salted or flavoured chips, corn curls and cheese sticks, salted nuts, canned peas or beans and condiments like chow-chow or barbeque sauce.

Others include cured or salted meats like turkey ham, roasted ham, beef, and chicken and pork sausages. Don’t forget the flavoured packages for soups, sauces, side dishes and stuffing mixes.

So, use the Nutrition Facts panel to choose the low sodium options and where possible, reduce your servings to further reduce the amount of sodium when eating this Christmas.

For example, if two slices of turkey ham have 280mg of sodium then use one slice of turkey ham instead to get 140 mg instead.

Another way to ensure your blood pressure is controlled and your sodium intake is low, increase your eating of fruits, vegetables and fresh peas and beans instead. These are generally lower in their natural state. Fill half your plate with vegetables such as a salad or cooked vegetable medley. Use unsalted roasted nuts instead and try popcorn or low sodium tortilla chips too for the snacks.

It’s easy to get carried away with portions so practise smaller portions. Simply use small four-ounce containers if you were accustomed to eating eight-ounce containers in the past.

Be present in the season of perpetual hope and not mindless in overindulging.

Cherice Bronte-Tinkew has been a registered dietitian for over nine years. She is a member of the Trinidad and Tobago Association of Nutritionists and Dietitians.

For more information:

Facebook and Instagram pages @JustCherNutrition.

Email- justchernutri@gmail.com

References

https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-education-resources-materials/sodium-your-diet