Healthy Students on a Budget: Sodium Facts

Good morning! We all hear people talking about sodium. Some say it is bad for you and others differ. There are many opinions out there and today's post will outline some facts about sodium. Hopefully after you have read this post you will have more of an understanding about sodium and some possible effects of consuming too much.

First and foremost everyone needs to understand that: Too much sodium intake can potentially lead to high blood pressure. This is a fact.

After the above statement you may be thinking that sodium is salt, which is a myth. Sodium is a component of salt. Table salt is made up of 40 percent sodium and 60 percent chloride. When the salt enters the body, the sodium and chlorides separate which enables the body to utilize the sodium.

Majority of foods contain sodium because it is developed naturally. The key is to find the happy point between consuming too much and consuming too little. A lot of companies are trying to find natural ways to reduce the amount of sodium in the foods their producing while still ensuring that the food is safe to consume.  It is said that the maximum amount of sodium consumed by the body should be no more than 2300 mg per day. According to Colorado State University the minimum amount of sodium that you should consume on a daily basis is approximately 1500 mg which is equivalent to just under 1 teaspoon of table salt. One scary fact is that one McDonald's Angus Bacon & Cheese sandwich contains 1990 mg of sodium. After consuming that, you are nearly up to your recommended limit for the day. If you would like to check out some more information on McDonald's products go here McDonald's Nutrition Facts .

If it is potentially dangerous to our health then why do we need it? Well, believe it or not sodium plays a pretty big role in our bodies. It maintains the water balances in your cells. It also serves in the function of nerve impulses as well as muscles. After your body gets the amount of sodium required, it disposes of the extra through the kidneys.

Here is a look at the conversion rate from salt to sodium:

• 1/4 tsp. salt = 500 mg sodium
• 1/2 tsp. salt = 1,000 mg sodium
• 3/4 tsp. salt = 1,500 mg sodium
• 1 tsp. salt = 2,000 mg sodium

If something is labelled as "sodium-free" then it must contain less than 5 mg of sodium. So don't be fooled because very few items on the market are actually 0% sodium. A way to reduce the amount of salt you use, it is recommended that you completely remove the salt shaker from the dinner table and just consume the natural sodium within your food. Also, if you can, try to stay away from fast food restaurants as they tend to use a lot of salt and most of the time they don't measure how much their actually putting on your food. There is no way to completely eliminate sodium from your diet but you should definitely try to reduce it. I personally don't add any additional salt to the food I consume, and I try to steer clear of fast food as much as possible. The main reason is because if you're on a budget, then you would want to stay away from fast food because it is costly and also because too much sodium intake is bad for your health. Just because it doesn't seem to affect you now, doesn't mean that it won't catch up with you in the future because it will. When you are young you don't notice the effects but as you get older you will wish you controlled how much sodium you consumed.

Thanks for reading today's post and I hope you enjoyed it as well as maybe learned a thing or two. I provided you with the facts from people who have studied sodium very closely, what you choose to do is your choice. Enjoy the rest of your day, and if you haven't already please FOLLOW us on Twitter @budgetsnacks and LIKE our page on Facebook Healthy Students on a Budget !


- Kurtis

Healthy Students on a Budget: Grocery Shopping Tips

Okay, I hate to say this but this will be my last post. I first want to thank everyone for supporting us throughout this. Also want to thank you for accepting our harassments and spam.

On a lighter note, my last post is going to be on grocery shopping. Throughout our posts we have told you tips for when you grocery shop. This will be more to sum it all up. I got these tips from previous blogs Healthy Students on a Budget: Student Cooking on a Budget, all of our shopping cart blogs, and Kurtis' Healthy Students on a Budget: Saving Money in College. I also got some tips from Canadian Living.

The tips from Canadian Living are:

Buy in Bulk. This is a great tip. If you can buy a lot of stuff from Costco you save a lot of money. You can easily split things like chicken and freeze it for future meals. It is also cheaper to purchase spices and baking items from the Bulk Barn.

Support the Little Guy. What does this mean? Stay away from large chains, if you are in a smaller store you will be tempted to purchase less.

Don't Throw Out Those Pesky Flyers. Use your flyers to plan out where you are going to shop and find the best deals.

Make your own Tomato Sauce from Scratch. Buying it in the bottle is expensive, save money and make your own. You can make big portions and freeze it. Hey look, frozen chicken and sauce, you have chicken parm!

Have a Plan. I think in my posts I have said this about 20 times. HAVE A PLAN! Make sure you know what you want and you only go for that. Organize it to the store you shop in the most. Soooo did I mention have a plan?

Stick to the Edges of the Grocery Store. I think this has been mentioned too. Shop the edges and you get what you need, usually healthier and you skip the bulk.

Some other tips:

Shop with a friend. The talking will distract you from picking up stuff you don't need.

Go for small trips. If you go in knowing you only need bread and milk you usually only come out with bread and milk. Walking around for a lot of items gives the potential to pick up extra.

Purchase store brand. If you avoid brand names and buy the store brand, say No Frills "No Name" you will save money.

I hope these tips help and I hope you enjoyed our blog. This all ends at midnight so please spread the word! Also, please "like" our Facebook Page and follow us on Twitter @BudgetSnacks!

Again, thank you for all your support!

--Robyn

Pre-Game Meals

Happy Monday All!

So for the delay of the post, I am under the weather today and have been resting, and honestly, I almost forgot about my final post today. 

Today I will be focusing on pre-game meals and fluids you should consume before you play any sport, or participate in any physical activity. 

I found a breakdown list of foods and beverages you should consume (not all at once), but something that will leave you physically prepared (hunger wise) before the activity you participate in. 

Taken from CBC.com:

• Carbohydrates and energy-rich foods- breads, rice, pasta, cereal, fruits, vegetables. Choose whole grain and whole-wheat options for more fibre, which can help with a more steady energy release.

• Small amounts of protein (1-2oz) such as lean meat, 2 tbsp peanut butter, ¾ cup low fat yogurt, 1 cup milk or ½ cup cottage cheese, 1 egg

• 1-2 cups of fluid, the ideal choice being water or milk to pre-hydrate the body.  Fluids should be sipped slowly over the 1-2 hours before, to avoid a full bladder on the ice.

• Liquid meals such as smoothies and meal replacement shakes work well about 1 hour before and are recommended if athletes have a nervous stomach.

• Foods that are familiar, commonly eaten by the athlete and easily digested.

• Avoid high sugar and high fat foods - cream-based soups and sauces, burgers, fries, chips, chocolate. These take longer to digest and can result in stomach issues on the ice.

• Approximately 1g carbs per kg of body weight (your weight in lbs/2.2)

• 5-10g of protein

• 1-4 cups of fluid

1. 1 piece toast with jam + 1 hard boiled egg + 1 apple + 1.5 cups water 
2. 2 oz grilled chicken on thick whole wheat pita with mustard + apple + 1 cup milk 
3. Peanut butter/jam sandwich on whole wheat + 1 cup carrots + 1 cup 100% fruit juice
4. 1 cup pasta + ½ cup tomato sauce + 1 cup chocolate milk 
5. 1.5 cups rice stir fry with lean beef and veggies + water 
6. Medium baked potato with salsa + 2-3 large slices nitrate-free organic turkey deli meat + 1 orange + 1 cup water
7. 1 Nature Valley hard granola bar (2 pieces) + 1 fruit yogurt + 300ml 100% fruit juice box + 1 cup water 
8. How much of each should I consume, you may ask. Well 

There is no set amount that you should eat, but following sport nutrition guidelines for younger athletes have not been established. 

For a typical adult, you should consume:

Here are some great meals that you could probably double in size amount, as this is recommended for younger athletes who weight between 50-100lbs. Although this is recommended for younger athletes (and I wouldn't consider myself a young athlete, just of the petite nature), I still prefer to eat this amount of food before a game.  

1. 1 cup Shreddies + 1/2 cup milk + 1/2 banana + 1 cup water 

2. 1 instant oatmeal pack (flavored is ok, but plain is ideal) + 1 cup chocolate milk + ½ cup berries + 1 cup water

For the lighter appetite, early morning rush or nervous stomach:

9. Slap shot smoothie: 1 cup chocolate milk + 1 cup water + ½ cup frozen strawberries + ½ banana

I truly believe making a big bowl of pasta, with a side salad is my favourite and easy pre-game meal. It take literally no time at all to make, and it leaves you feeling full. In addition, it is an important and effective source for getting your cards, which give you the energy you need for the game. 

This is a great explanation of why pasta is good for you before a game. Taken from FitDay:

"Carbs offer people glucose (sugar), which can be thought of as an ideal fuel for the body to work efficiently. Additionally, carbs provide minerals and vitamins and are the only type of energy that your brain utilizes. During a sports game, you are expected to perform for hours at a strenuous physical activity. Carbs are the perfect energy providerl, especially for longer endurance-type events. Because your energy needs are greater going into a big game, you need a spaghetti dinner to get all the carbs from the pasta noodles."