Meals ======================================================================== 2018 I'd like to lose some weight, and my blood pressure is a little high. My doctor said to eat more fruits and vegetables and less salt and sugar, and to look at the DASH diet for ideas. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low_sodium_diet The human minimum requirement for sodium in the diet is about 500 mg per day. A "low sodium" diet is typically considered something like 1,500–2,400 mg of sodium per day. http://www.who.int/nutrition/publications/guidelines/sugars_intake/en/ Sugar should account for less than 10% of daily calories, ideally less than 5%. Not more than 25 grams (6 teaspoons) per day would be ideal. If I eliminate most fast food, restaurant meals, and processed frozen foods, that will go a long way. Note that some vegetables have naturally high sodium. Many leafy vegetables like spinach have high sodium, 100–300mg per cup. Beets, carrots, turnips, and celery have relatively high sodium — around 75mg per serving. Conversely, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, green beans, potatoes, and **romaine lettuce** are sodium-free. Brussels sprouts, green and red cabbages, cauliflower, onions, and tomatoes are very low in sodium. Despite the relatively higher sodium, leafy greens are still nutritionally worth eating for things like calcium, potassium, and magnesium. Robust potassium levels may play as big a role in lowering blood pressure as lower sodium levels, according to some research, for example. Shell fish (mussels, lobster) have significantly higher sodium than many other meats. Strategy: explore herbs and spices. Quickest, Simplest No-Cooking Meals/Snacks ------------------------------------------------------------------------ - Yogurt with berries - Apple with peanut butter - Whole wheat pita with hummus (watch sodium in the hummus!) - Nuts - Peanut butter and banana/cabbage/orange/whatever on whole wheat bread - Soy milk Simple Meals with Minimal Cooking ------------------------------------------------------------------------ - Oatmeal with nuts or fruit or peanut butter (oatmeal with diced apples _and_ peanut butter) - Brown rice, hummus, steamed vegetable - Chicken, fish, beef, or ham with vegetables - Avocado and tomato salad - Brown rice and beans (watch sodium in beans!) with tomatoes or onions or spinach - Eggs with spinach/onions/tomatoes - Quinoa, perhaps with corn, diced tomatoes, etc. stuffed in a pepper? Quinoa pairs well with avocados and black beans too. Staples to Buy ------------------------------------------------------------------------ - Olive oil - White wine vinegar - Brown rice - Oatmeal - Peanut butter (no salt) - Black pepper - Cinnamon - Cayenne - Ginger - Cardamom - Spices to enhance sweet flavor: allspice, anise, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg - Spices to enchance savory flavor: basil, cardamom, chili powder, cumin, curry, dill, majoram, oregano, rosemary, thyme, sage, tarragon - Spices to add heat: ginger, chili pepper, mustard, paprika, wasabi, pepper, curry, cayenne, red pepper Quick Refrigerator Pickles ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. Wash and dry a mason jar 2. Put slices/shredded vegetables in jar, add onions/garlic/jalapenos/spices (ginger, coriander, red pepper flakes, crumbled bay leaf, allspice, dill, oregano, rosemary, mustard seed, celery seed, whatever) 3. Boil water and (any type of) vinegar (somewhere between a 1:1 and 2:1 ratio in either direction) 4. Pour water and vinegar into jar, over spices and vegetables 5. Let jar cool for at least 10 minutes before putting in fridge They're OK to eat once cool, but true pickled flavor will develop over several days. They should be good for at least a month in the fridge. Traditionally, pickling includes salt and sometimes sugar, but it's OK without. DASH diet ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The doctor recommended I look at the DASH diet. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/files/docs/public/heart/dash_brief.pdf https://healthyeating.nhlbi.nih.gov/ > The DASH eating plan requires no special foods and has no hard-to-follow recipes. > It simply calls for a certain number of daily servings from various food groups. > The number of servings depends on the number of calories you’re allowed each day. > Your calorie level depends on your age and, especially, how active you are. Something like: - Six GRAIN daily servings (1 slice of bread, half-cup cooked rice or pasta) - Four FRUIT daily servings (apple, apricot, banana, orange) - Four VEGETABLE daily servings (broccoli, carrots, green beans, spinach, potatoes, tomatoes) - Two fat-free DAIRY daily servings (skim milk) - Three ANIMAL PROTEIN daily servings (one egg, 1oz fish, 1oz chicken) - Four **weekly** nuts/seeds/legume servings (peanuts, almonds, lentils) - 2.5 hours of moderate (heart rate noticeably slightly elevated) physical activity per week. Why weekly on the nuts? Because of high calories? Yes. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/dash-diet/art-20048456 > Serving sizes are small and are intended to be consumed only a few times a week because these foods are high in calories. DASH calls out potassium and magnesium several times, and calcium, protein, and fiber to a lesser extent. DASH relies on milk to provide calcium and vitamin D. Soy milk does not adequately provide these. Skim milk also gives slightly more potassium than soy milk.