Patient was educated on measures to be considered for compliance with heart healthy diet recommendation as follows:
- Salt is also heavily added in snack items, such as, chips, cheese popcorn, crackers, nuts, trail mixes, pretzels, and granola bars, to enhance the flavor. Avoid these high salt content snacks and make choices for healthier & low sodium content snacks, such as, some fresh fruit, roasted nuts without added salt, air-popped popcorn, a cup of yogurt, fresh raw carrots, celery sticks, and roasted chickpeas without added salt.
- Usually store-bought pickles and jalapeno peppers are very high in added extra sodium, to help increase the shelf-life and enhance the flavor. Read through the label carefully and pick the low sodium or salt free versions of pickles and peppers, to be compliant with the limited salt intake recommendation.
- Store bought broths and stocks used as the base for soups and stews or to flavor meat and vegetable dishes are very rich in added salt. While picking them, pick the products with the label, reduced or low sodium. While preparing them at home, by boiling bones or simmering meat, do not add any extra salt, to be compliant with limited sodium intake recommendation.
- Many sauces, breakfast cereals, and bakery products, bought ready to eat, contain extra added salt to enhance the flavor. Check on the labels before doing the purchase and choose low salt or no salt added versions of these food items, in order to be consistent with limited sodium intake recommendation.
