6.Soup
Stay below 20% of your RDA of sodium (about 460 mg for a daily allowance of 2,300 mg, or 300 mg for 1,500 mg). Several companies make low-sodium soups that fall within this range. Calories should be limited to 200 per serving unless the soup constitutes your entire meal, in which case you can reach 400 calories. And check the serving size. A can typically contains two servings, and eating the entire thing could put you over your sodium limit. Protein is a plus, and a soup can make a good snack or partial meal if it has between 5 and 10 grams of protein. If it’s your entire meal, it should have at least 10 grams.
7.Rice and pasta
Choose rice and pasta that are high in fiber, and preferably pasta that is 100% whole grain. Brown rice doesn’t have as much fiber, but it has more than white rice. Ideally, you want 7 grams of fiber per serving (and 25 to 35 grams daily), but before you dig into a bowl of rigatoni, check the serving size. Pasta expands as you cook it, so an ounce of uncooked pasta has more fiber—and more calories —than an ounce of cooked pasta. If the label doesn’t specify, assume the serving size is for cooked pasta. And with flavored/packaged rice, check for added salt. There’s likely to be a lot—up to 1,000 mg in certain brands.
Stay below 20% of your RDA of sodium (about 460 mg for a daily allowance of 2,300 mg, or 300 mg for 1,500 mg). Several companies make low-sodium soups that fall within this range. Calories should be limited to 200 per serving unless the soup constitutes your entire meal, in which case you can reach 400 calories. And check the serving size. A can typically contains two servings, and eating the entire thing could put you over your sodium limit. Protein is a plus, and a soup can make a good snack or partial meal if it has between 5 and 10 grams of protein. If it’s your entire meal, it should have at least 10 grams.
7.Rice and pasta
Choose rice and pasta that are high in fiber, and preferably pasta that is 100% whole grain. Brown rice doesn’t have as much fiber, but it has more than white rice. Ideally, you want 7 grams of fiber per serving (and 25 to 35 grams daily), but before you dig into a bowl of rigatoni, check the serving size. Pasta expands as you cook it, so an ounce of uncooked pasta has more fiber—and more calories —than an ounce of cooked pasta. If the label doesn’t specify, assume the serving size is for cooked pasta. And with flavored/packaged rice, check for added salt. There’s likely to be a lot—up to 1,000 mg in certain brands.
8.Salad dressing
Almost all salad-dressing serving sizes are two tablespoons, making them easy to compare. Stick to 50 calories or less per serving, and the less sugar the better. "Basically any sugar in salad dressings is added sugar,". Choose salad dressings that are made of olive oil, like vinaigrettes, rather than mayonnaise, like ranch or Thousand Island. And again pay attention to sodium. The more processed foods you eat, the more salt you get.
Almost all salad-dressing serving sizes are two tablespoons, making them easy to compare. Stick to 50 calories or less per serving, and the less sugar the better. "Basically any sugar in salad dressings is added sugar,". Choose salad dressings that are made of olive oil, like vinaigrettes, rather than mayonnaise, like ranch or Thousand Island. And again pay attention to sodium. The more processed foods you eat, the more salt you get.
9.Yogurt
Yogurt can be a low-cal way to get protein and calcium, but choose the wrong kind, and you could eat a container with nutritional content similar to that of ice cream. Pick low-fat varieties, with at least 6 grams of protein. Greek yogurts have more protein per serving than plain yogurt, but full-fat Greek yogurts can contain up to 18 grams of saturated fat. Also check for sugar. "Oftentimes sugar is off the charts in yogurt,". Aim for less than 20 grams of sugar per serving. Choose a version that has lower sugar, between 6 and 12 grams, like plain yogurt, then add your own sweet fruits. The good news is yogurt is low in sodium
Yogurt can be a low-cal way to get protein and calcium, but choose the wrong kind, and you could eat a container with nutritional content similar to that of ice cream. Pick low-fat varieties, with at least 6 grams of protein. Greek yogurts have more protein per serving than plain yogurt, but full-fat Greek yogurts can contain up to 18 grams of saturated fat. Also check for sugar. "Oftentimes sugar is off the charts in yogurt,". Aim for less than 20 grams of sugar per serving. Choose a version that has lower sugar, between 6 and 12 grams, like plain yogurt, then add your own sweet fruits. The good news is yogurt is low in sodium
10.Sports drinks
Unless you’re involved in an endurance activity for over an hour, you don’t need a sports drink. Be aware that if you do reach for a sports drink, you can end up consuming more than 60 calories per serving. If you are sweating heavily and need replenishment, have one that has below 60 calories per serving and make sure you know what the serving size is (bottles often contain two servings). "A lot of them are just sugared water, and you’re getting extra calories, which you don’t need," Gans explains. Though sports drinks are great while exercising, choose water if you’re simply thirsty on a hot day.
Unless you’re involved in an endurance activity for over an hour, you don’t need a sports drink. Be aware that if you do reach for a sports drink, you can end up consuming more than 60 calories per serving. If you are sweating heavily and need replenishment, have one that has below 60 calories per serving and make sure you know what the serving size is (bottles often contain two servings). "A lot of them are just sugared water, and you’re getting extra calories, which you don’t need," Gans explains. Though sports drinks are great while exercising, choose water if you’re simply thirsty on a hot day.
11.Salty snacks
Salty flavor is a favorite among snackers, but you should make sure you don’t get more than 15% of your daily sodium from snacking. To indulge wisely, first check the serving size. Find out how many pretzels or chips constitute one serving. Take only that amount from the economy-size bag and don’t go back for seconds. Search for the least amount of salt and fat per serving (pretzels tend to have less fat than chips). Baked versions are better than fried ones, as they contain less fat. But be careful. These snacks often pour on more salt to compensate for flavor.
Salty flavor is a favorite among snackers, but you should make sure you don’t get more than 15% of your daily sodium from snacking. To indulge wisely, first check the serving size. Find out how many pretzels or chips constitute one serving. Take only that amount from the economy-size bag and don’t go back for seconds. Search for the least amount of salt and fat per serving (pretzels tend to have less fat than chips). Baked versions are better than fried ones, as they contain less fat. But be careful. These snacks often pour on more salt to compensate for flavor.
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