FOOD TABLES: DO’S AND DON’TS

Cooked Cereals

Do’s

Cooked cereals are excellent if no salt is added in their preparation. Instant cooked cereals (add hot water) are often unacceptable be- cause salt is used in the processing. Milk is not included in these servings; it is tabulated separately. Each cup of milk or soy beverage adds 120 milligrams sodium and 375 milligrams potassium.

Don’ts

Following the recipe on the box and adding salt destroys cooked ce- real for this plan. These cereals taste excellent without added salt. If your taste buds crave salt, add six drops of Tabasco per serving. I know it sounds strange in cereal, but the taste is fine, and six drops adds only 15 milligrams. As another alternative, don’t use milk; try your cereal with canned apricot nectar. It tastes great, reduces

sodium, and elevates potassium even more.

Ready-to-Eat Cereals

Do’s

Milk is not included in these servings; it is tabulated separately. A cup of milk usually adds 120 milligrams sodium and 375 milligrams potassium to each serving. See milk tabulation where low sodium is expressed, however.

Occasionally

These cereals are borderline because, though they are moderate in sodium, they are not high in potassium. Consequently, they have a poor K-factor. The addition of milk elevates the sodium content very close to the 200-milligram cutoff even though the K-factor is acceptable. Therefore, use them only occasionally and remember to eat other low-sodium, high-potassium foods in compensation.

Don’ts

Most ready-to-eat cereals cannot be used on this plan. I have identified those that can be served. Those that have sodium on the nutritional label should be avoided.

Milk for Cereals and Beverages

Do’s

All milk, whether canned, dry, condensed, or whole, are do’s for beverages or for cereals. The sodium in milk is not in the form of sodium chloride (salt), and although it is higher than desirable, it is acceptable. Low-sodium milk is available. I strongly recommend avoiding high-fat milk and using the low-fat varieties.

Beverage Mixes for Milk

Milk mixes are fine, but be sure to add the sodium and potassium from the milk to the total figures. Chocolate powder, a common mix for milk, contains, on average, 54 milligrams sodium and 168 milligrams potassium for a K-factor of 3.

Eggs

Do’s

In general, eggs are acceptable because the sodium is not in the form of sodium chloride and their protein quality is excellent.

Don’ts

Though eggs are acceptable on this eating plan, the method of preparation can cause trouble. If you fry, don’t add salt to the oil. Omelets should be made with a few drops of Tabasco or horseradish in place of salt. They should always be vegetarian, with ingredients such as onions, mushrooms, and tomatoes.

Breads

Do’s

Oroweat bread is the most readily available low-sodium bread. Two slices of this bread contain only 10 milligrams of sodium. Available in the frozen section, it thaws quickly and can be used for toast or for sandwiches. Its sodium content is insignificant.

Don’ts

Breads and baked goods account for much of the hidden 5 to 10 grams of salt that Americans consume daily. If you like sandwiches and want to beat high blood pressure, you must learn to like Oroweat or other low-sodium bread. Not all grocers carry Oroweat bread, but other brands are available; usually in the frozen section.

Be sure to ask.

Fruit Juices

Do’s

Fruit juices, like fruit, are generally low in sodium and rich in potassium. They can be used to offset a meal component that is not rich in potassium but is low in sodium. For example, a poached egg on Oroweat toast and a glass of apple juice are balanced in sodium and potassium, even though the egg itself is not. Except where noted,serving size is 8 ounces.

Don’ts

Any fresh fruit and fresh fruit juice is excellent on this plan. There- fore, the only don’ts are sugary processed juice drinks that contain only a small amount of real juice. Fruit is not canned or frozen with salt, so it is usually fine; similarly for fruit juice. You can’t use too much of either category.

Meat

Most nonorgan meats are fine. Chapter 8 will help you reduce the fat content and consequently your caloric intake. I have included the percentage of calories from fat for beef, pork, and white meat and broken it into low-, medium-, and high-fat selections, listing the high-fat meat for occasional consumption. Low-fat meat, in

general, is excellent on this diet. It is low in sodium, rich in potas38 25 Natural Ways to Lower Blood Pressure, and if lean cuts are selected with excess fat trimmed, its caloric content is fine.

How meat is prepared, including poultry, is important. In general, poultry is excellent for any dietary program. If it is roasted, broiled, or barbecued without skin, or the skin is removed after cooking, it is low in fat and excellent in sodium and potassium, but even poultry can be high in fat if not selected correctly. Meat should always be broiled or barbecued without sauces or salt. Condiments, such as garlic, onions, shallots, ginger, and other herbs and spices, add flavor and zest to meat without increasing either its fat or sodium content. In the meat section of the table, serving size is the standard 3.5 ounces.

Do’s

In general, low-fat cuts of meat provide less than 25 percent of their calories as fat. Medium-fat cuts provide 26 to 40 percent of their calories as fat. Both low- and medium-fat cuts are acceptable on a weight-controlled diet.

Occasionally

These cuts of meat are fine for control of high blood pressure, but because of their high fat content, they are recommended only occasionally and never on a weight-loss diet. Over 40 percent of their calories are derived from fat.

Organ meats, listed on page 54, are usually excessive in fat, but I have selected a few that are moderate in fat. Some organ meats are so high in sodium that, even though it is not always sodium chloride, it is often excessive for our purposes.

Don’ts

Virtually no processed meats can be eaten by people following this plan to control high blood pressure. Processed meat, whether beef, veal, lamb, or chicken and turkey ersatz meats, such as turkey pastrami, bologna, and franks, is simply unacceptable. Since these foods are unacceptable, I have not included sodium, potassium, or

the K-factor ratio.

Beef to Avoid

• Beef burgundy

• Breakfast strips

• Corned beef

• Frozen meatloaf

• Frozen or canned chipped beef (several brands)

• Frozen or canned salisbury steak

• Frozen or canned sliced beef

Pork to Avoid

• Bacon bits

• Canadian bacon

• Cured bacon

• Cured ham

• Ham loaf

• Ham steaks

• Sausages (including bockwurst, blood, bratwurst, Polish

luncheon, smoked, and turkey)

• Sweet and sour pork

Veal to Avoid

• Frozen veal parmigiana

Luncheon Meats, Franks, and Spreads to Avoid

• Barbecue loaf

• Bologna of all types

• Corned beef loaf

• Frankfurter

• Loaves (olive, mother’s, pepper, pickle, picnic)

• Mortadella

• Salami of all types

• Sandwich spreads

• Turkey ham, turkey loaf, pastrami

• Vienna sausage