What is it with the salt? :|

So, lately I've been checking food labels for stuff that isn't just the carbs (as a diabetic I usually fixate on the carbs alone so I know how much insulin I need but I'm trying to make more effort for overall health these days) and HOLY CRIP HE'S A CRAPPLE everything is loaded with salt! I like a bit of salt on my chips as much as the next obese fool, but seriously?? I just looked at a Fray Bentos pie, I used to live on these - 3.5g of salt! I had a tin of soup yesterday that had 4g of salt in it, and last week I saw a tin of ravioli with 5.6g of salt!

Is this only acceptable because they cover two portions, or is it because none of these actually EXCEED the 6g recommended limit so nobody cares? And am I being excessive for having a whole tin of soup to myself? Doesn't seem exactly bingelike but it's made me self conscious to see a tin has two servings. But even if I cut my portions inhalf, I'm still exceeding that 6g quite comfortably :/

I'm a little embarrassed that I'm only checking this stuff NOW, but really, how does this stuff still get sold?

 

As far as I'm concerned the serving suggestions and portions on food products are usually way off what a normal person would eat.
Like the suggested servings for cereal that barely cover the bottom of the bowl.
Or, as you mention, expecting a person to eat half a tin of soup.

 

Your eatting fray bento's pie, what did you think was going to be in it?

 

The thing is all that salts helps make the food taste so darn good. And you are only going to buy it if it tastes good.

It's processed food, of course it contains salt.

Make your own pie, make your own soup, make your own ravioli and control the salt and other rubbish the processed foods contain.

 

Because of my own training and my clients that I train I sweat enough in the course of a given day that salt is never an issue - training primarily outdoors in a 98% relative humidity environment does that I guess. If anything... I tend to add more salt as well as supplement with something along the lines of ZMA and copious amounts of electrolyte supplementation.

If you're eating pre-made pies and this sort of nonsense then you really are making your bead so get ready to lay in it. 99% of this stuff is crap. So yes of course it's choc full of sodium.
Sounds like you really need to sort out your eating strategy... even more so that you are diabetic.

 

yeah, I've stopped eating pies and stuff now, it's frightening thinking back to how ignorant I used to be :s I'm trying to educate my mother for when she goes shopping too but she doesn't pay much attention lol.

As for eating strategy I'm planning on basically living on whole unprocessed meat and veg, but there's not a helluva lot of variety in that, but it's a lot healthier than what I'm doing now, so I'm not gonna die in the meantime while I learn more about nutrition and stuff. I knew there was salt in stuff but am horrified at just how much :s

 

You might want to look into more of the basic paleo type diets.... low carb, good amounts of protein and a better ratio of omega 3 oils etc. Make for interesting reading and you might be surprised how some of the changes can improve your health. But before you jump in it's best just to start getting your head around the concepts.

 

Cheers, slip. As a diabetic of course low carb is a good thing. Will look more into it. Improved health is always a plus