Low salt Christmas Dinner

Planning a Christmas dinner when you are on a low sodium diet for health, reasons can be an overwhelming task to figure out what you can eat. I have put together this list of foods, which are low in salt so that you and I can enjoy food on Christmas with the family.

Low Salt does not mean bland food, it simply means food that will not clog your heart and shorten your life.

We all know that ham, which is the staple of most Christmas dinners, is now outlawed by our low sodium diet. Usually Christmas Dinner us included, the ham, ham gravy, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, buttered homemade rolls, canned vegetables. Last year this was one of the reason I said screw the usual ham dinner with all the trimmings. I skipped making the entire dinner.

Gravy

To some that looks like it would be a wonderful meal. Salt reined high in all of those food items even the mashed potatoes because they were smothered in gravy. The gravy that is typically made from the ham drippings is not only loaded with sodium it is also high in fat, which is a no-no for those among us who are on a low cholesterol diet. It is best to skip the gravy, which is made from fat.

However, that is not always possible as it is a necessary item to some people. There is low sodium instant gravy mixes that you can substitute for the homemade gravy. Read the labels on these, stick to the suggested serving sizes and one serving will be enough.

Meat

All ham is high in salt that is part of the curing process. It is really best to avoid it when on the low salt diet. There are low sodium hams on the market, but they are usually double the price and hard to find. If you insist on having ham for your Christmas dinner opt for ham slices which have been rinsed in water to remove the salt. To me personally a ham slice will not cut it, as it is not what I am used to.

Potatoes

The potatoes on the Christmas dinner menu are fine if you use whole potatoes you need peel and cook. Skip the candied yams or sweet potatoes, which are in the cans. Anything in a can is processed and processed foods are typically high in sodium.

For a person on a low salt diet, opt for a low salt butter spread and a dollop of sour cream. Sour cream has lots of flavor and it is naturally low in sodium.

Canned vegetables

These are always high in salt, even if you get a low salt variety it still has more sodium then you should have. Opt for cooking frozen or fresh vegetables for the holiday dinner and everyone eating it will be eating better. Season these no-salt alternatives from Mrs. Dash.

Breads, rolls and other items might be fine as long as they are homemade where you can control the salt content. Read the labels and make some changes if needed.

Going on a low sodium diet is not a bad, thing. Until you get the hang of cooking low salt foods, meals will be bland but do not be afraid to get out there and educate yourself. Your life depends upon this, and it is always a great way to get our families eating better without them realizing this.

Resources:

http://www.lowsaltfoods.com/food_center/lsfoods/meat.htm

http://www.lowsodiumliving.com/ham.htm