Sunday, January 7, 2007

So What Am I Avoiding?

In order eat more healthful vegan foods, I will be limiting the amount of processed foods that I will be eating for two reasons; solid fats and too much added salt.

The current guidelines in the UK put the acceptable daily intake of sodium at the equivalent of 6g of salt. In reality the body only needs about 1/10 of this amount, which can be achieved through naturally occurring salt. Be aware when sodium content is listed, the level needs to be multiplied by 2.5 to give the salt equivalent.

So what foods do I specifically avoid:
All Fry's foods (high salt levels over 2.8g salt in one regular sausage!)
Fake cheeses (palm or hydrogenated fat, salt)
Biscuits (palm or hydrogenated fat, salt)
Bran flakes and many other cereals (high salt levels)
Pure and other vegan spreads (palm oil, salt)
Canned veg in brine (salt)
Pasta sauces (salt)

I still eat products with salt in such as baked beans, bread, canned soups, but I have smaller portions and choose the varieties with the least salt in them, and try and reduce how often I have them.

1 comment:

VBB said...

Interesting about the salt, I suffer with high blood pressure so have been looking at reducing my salt in take. I have been looking at labels and been surprised how much salt is hidden in things that i eat.

your reciepes would be useful if i ever cooked :) no they will give me ideas on things i should do.
VBB