Cookbook

Updated on March 08, 2010
M.W. asks from Arcadia, CA
13 answers

My husband has high blood pressure and I need to start cooking with less sodium. We were told to try the DASH diet, but has anyone used it and is it good? Or has anyone come across a cookbook that is healthier with less sodium while maintaining the taste? I have a three year old daughter and a 12 year old stepson who probably would appreciate good tasting food for dinner too. =)

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So What Happened?

Thanks so much everyone! It sounds like I can cook with less sodium and still retain the flavor! I will definitely have to learn to read labels better. Thanks again!

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S.G.

answers from Los Angeles on

Try searching for recipes here: http://recipes.sparkpeople.com

Look for lower sodium items, don't add salt, use more onion, garlic, herbs, etc.

Good luck

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G.B.

answers from Boise on

Mw...
Iodized table salt is the main way that most people get a supply of iodine in their diet. Iodine is CRUCIAL to health. We are entering another iodine deficiency era because of people reducing their intake due to heart and blood pressure issues. So, You may want to make sure you supplement Iodine for your family if you remove table salt. We use IDORAL, which was made by a doctor. It has both forms of needed iodine in it. We do not reduce our table salt- we take it just because of the research that points to the lack of iodine that in our food system now. We also take vitamin E with it to assist in uptake.

Look up "magnesium for high blood pressure" online. Iit is suppose to cure/help high blood pressure issues. NCD zeolite might work also.

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C.A.

answers from Los Angeles on

I've had high blood pressure for over twenty years. I use less salt and I increase other spices that are very strong and fragrant. I also started looking into regional/ethnic cuisines that are strongly flavored. I do curries from several areas, Indian, Thai, Indonesian, Japanese, and Chinese. I love Mediterranean food of Spain, Southern France, Italy, and Greece, but don't forget Israeli and North African. I found that using lemon reduced the need for salt and I use blended salt like lemon pepper, garlic salt, onion salt, celery salt, season salt etc. I also watch my cholesterol and I eat a lot of fish and chicken. Also marinating meat/fish with wine also reduces the need. Also reduced sodium soy sauce is helpful. I also suggest using various vinegars for flavor. I love Trader Joe's white wine vinegar and rices vinegars for salads. Don't use potassium substitutes for salt unless okayed by the doctor as they can interfere with medication, especially if your spouse is on a potassium supplement.

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E.T.

answers from Los Angeles on

I cook without salt, and then we add as we like at the table. After a few months of this, you'll find that there are many foods that we eat without any salt. The hardest part is that most canned goods are heavily salted. I buy the unsalted tomatoes at Trader Joe's and unsalted beans. Often, for some reason the "less sodium" canned beans have more sodium than do the organic canned beans, so it's worth reading labels. I just use my regular cookbooks, but cook without salt. As long as the goal is less sodium, not no sodium, it's not really that hard. Good luck!

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A.P.

answers from San Diego on

An easy solution to your question, instead of a cookbook, is just not eating processed food. No eating out and cook all your meals from scratch. I make a pot of sauce with home-made meat balls and keep some frozen for easy meals. I can make meat ball heros, chicken cutlets, pasta, lasagna, pizza etc. I also heard Dr Oz. say that SUGAR is crazy awful for high BP. So find alternatives to soda, like tea etc. With some little changes, your food should taste better without those preservatives : ) If all else fails...there are so many books like; The Mayo Clinic Cookbook or just go on-line to allrecipes.com
Good luck!

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M.D.

answers from Los Angeles on

It might be because my mom took salt out of the house when we were little, but I just omit salt from my recipes. I really don't notice it at all, my husband doesn't either.

Also, try Cooking Light Magazine and Cooking Light.com. My family loves stuff I find from there and they are usually really easy to make as well!

Good luck!

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S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

Go to www.amazon.com and type in the search words "low salt cookbooks." MANY will turn up... and you can read the reviews of each one and the star ratings.
The American Heart Association has a cookbook too.

For high blood pressure... also what helps is "deep breathing" techniques. My mom has high blood pressure.. and she went to a deep-breathing seminar at our local medical center... and it has REALLY helped her blood pressure... not to mention improving stress levels. You can probably find a book on that too, at amazon, or maybe a video on it.

Good luck,
Susan

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J.P.

answers from Los Angeles on

The American Heart Association website used to have recipes. Not sure if they still do, but they do have cookbooks for sale now with recipes specific to low salt. I have made several that they had online (about 4 years ago) when my dad was put on a restricted diet. Very flavorful, using lots of garlic and spices. Good luck.

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S.I.

answers from Los Angeles on

I don't know about less sodium but The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone has some really great recipes. It's a vegan cookbook and her suggestions are a bit pricey, but you can substitute here and there.

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C.K.

answers from Los Angeles on

I also have high B.P. I don't use a recipe book but I do read labels. I have learned how to purchase things lower in sodium. Also when you make food at home instead of pre-packaged, it usually will have less sodum. I use lots of spices, garlic & peppers, all kinds of peppers & that helps to spice things up. Top ramen has loads of sodium but I love it so I still buy it but toss the spice packet & use sodium free broth instead. I have also used Dash seasonings, you just need to get creative & read labels...there are better choices if you read them all!

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A.R.

answers from Los Angeles on

Im lucky my husband does all the cooking and i need no salt he cooks normal food just doent add salt if your child wants salt let him add it when he eats i bet it wil work good luck A. no hills

Updated

IM LUCKY MY HUSBAND DOES ALL THE COOKING AND I NEED NO SALT HE COOKS NORMAL FOOD JUST DOENT ADD SALT IF YOUR CHILD WANTS SALT LET HIM ADD IT WHEN HE EATS I BET IT WIL WORK GOOD LUCK A. NO HILLS

Updated

IM LUCKY MY HUSBAND DOES ALL THE COOKING AND I NEED NO SALT HE COOKS NORMAL FOOD JUST DOENT ADD SALT IF YOUR CHILD WANTS SALT LET HIM ADD IT WHEN HE EATS I BET IT WIL WORK GOOD LUCK A. NO HILLS

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K.P.

answers from Los Angeles on

I'm not sure about a specific cookbook, although it would be really easy for you to do an interenet search for "low sodium recipes" or "high blood pressure cookbooks".
What I was going to suggest is that you can ammend any recipe by not adding salt to it (or at least cutting the amount down considerabley). Also, be catious of things you use which contain a lot of sodium like broth, processed foods, lunch meats, dairy, etc... Just read the label to see how much sodium it contains.
Another thing to consider, lemon hits your tastebuds the same way salt does so substituting salt with some lemon may help.

Good luck!

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