Question

This week's focus was a low fat and low salt diet. Answer the questions and share the following information. Also, discuss your personal experience following this meal plan. What advice would you give to a patient that would need to follow this diet.

1.  As you will be reading food labels to select your low Sodium food choices, Discuss something you learned or share with the rest of the class, a food label comparison for sodium content (did you find a very low sodium (Na) soup, broth or dressing) etc.

2. For thelow-fatt lean proteins, research cuts of meat to provide the leanest recommendation for your meal plan. Share with the class and discuss, a lean cut vs a high fat cut of meat and the difference in fat/calories etc.

Answer 1

1. Low sodium food choices: Inorder to discuss this we should be aware of sodium free and low sodium composition as follows:

Salt/Sodium-Free------Less than 5 mg of sodium per serving
Very Low Sodium------35 mg of sodium or less per serving
Low Sodium--------140 mg of sodium or less per serving
Reduced Sodium-------At least 25% less sodium than the regular product
Light in Sodium or Lightly Salted------At least 50% less sodium than the regular product
No-Salt-Added or Unsalted--------No salt is added during processing

Potasium intake helps in controlling sodium. Potassium rich foods like beans, tomato products, dairy products, juices, fruits, seafoods and vegetables.

While selecting food,

Read the label

Prepare your own whenever possible

Buy fresh

Buy veggies, fruits

Unsalt your snacks

Consider your condiments

Make choices of selecting restaurants

2. For thelow-fatt lean proteins, research cuts of meat to provide the leanest recommendation for your meal plan. Share with the class and discuss, a lean cut vs a high fat cut of meat and the difference in fat/calories etc.

Yes there is a difference in a high fat cut meat and a lean cut meat. In general, Extra lean meat serves not more than 10 percent fat whereas, Lean ground meat serves 17 percent and the medium serves 23 percent and the regular cut meat serves 30 percent.

In terms of calories, and proteins,

Extra-lean ground beef

Calories: 203
Protein: 30 g
Fat: 9 g
Saturated fat: 4 g

Lean ground beef

Calories: 250
Protein: 26 g
Fat: 15 g
Saturated fat: 6 g
Medium ground beef

Calories: 270
Protein: 26 g
Fat: 18 g
Saturated fat: 7 g

Regular ground beef

Calories: 304
Protein: 25 g
Fat: 22 g
Saturated fat: 9 g

Lean ground chicken

Calories: 189
Protein: 23 g
Fat: 10 g
Saturated fat: 3 g