Looking for low sodium fast food options? Discover the best meals at popular chains that fit a low salt diet without compromising flavor. Enjoy healthier fast food today!
Why Is Sodium a Concern?
Sodium, being one of the essential minerals which perform several functions such as the maintenance of body fluids and the nerves and muscular activities, does not come without its excess consumption drawbacks especially to sodium sensitive persons. The American Heart Association Nutrition Center estimates that no more than 2,300 milligrams (mg) of sodium should be ingested in a day per person, with the ideal minimal dietary sodium recommendations for consumption being 1,500 mg in a day per person especially to those with high blood pressure.
The problem of course is that because most of the items are made from processed ingredients, preservatives, and flavor enhancers, most of them contain a lot of sodium. It is possible for one fast-food meal to contain unnecessary amounts of sodium to the health limit. Therefore, it is very important to look for lower-sodium options whenever possible, especially whenever one is forced to eat on the move.
Advice on Lowering Sodium Intake from Fast-Food Meals
In order to properly implement certain options, tactics aimed at lowering sodium intake when consuming fast-food should be clearly understood first:
1. Do not order additional serves: While ordering food, people often tend to order sauces or other similar things which include high sodium. Nonetheless, request it on the side or avoid it all together.
2.Make it the way you want it: Sometimes when ordering food in fast food restaurants, you have the option to make changes to the meal. Instead of fried items, ask for grilled ones with no salt added.
3.Control the ‘helpings’: Most of the time, especially with fast food restaurants, big sizes tend to come with high sodium food contents. To ease the management of the levels of intake, it is advisable to stick to small or regular sizes.
4.Bypass fries: Rather than unhealthy french fries, choose side salad, fruit cup or vegetables so that you do not take excess sodium.
Best Low Sodium Fast Food Choices by Chain
Having gone through the fundamental principles of sodium management, let us consider some of the best low sodium fast food options existing in popular chains.
1.Fast food outlets such as McDonald’s provide options with low sodium content.
Mcdonald’s beggars the attention of the fast-food eaters with the presence of their outlet in almost every corner of the world. It boasts a wide range of foodstuffs in the menu most of which have a lot of salt, but a few healthy alternatives include:
Fruit & Maple Oatmeal: As a breakfast choice, this comes with a very minimal sodium content of only 150 mg. It is a heart-friendly offering, thanks to the high fiber content associated with this menu. Healthy for everyone indeed.
Hamburger (no cheese): A plain burger without cheese has about 480 mg of sodium. It is not the lowest of them all, however, it is better than a great number of other sandwiches on the list.
Side Salad (no dressing): If one goes for a side salad and has it without dressing, the amount of sodium consumption is as low as 10 mg only.
2. Subway Low Sodium Options
It is easy to build a low-sodium meal at the subway as it allows the customers to design their sandwiches. Here are a few good options:
Veggie Delite Sandwich: Prepared in whole wheat bread the sandwich contains nearly 270 mg sodium which varies depending on the vegetables and toppings added.
Turkey Breast Salad: The salad is composed of a turkey breast and no dressing which has 610 mg sodium content. To reduce more sodium such high sodium content salads should be avoided and more veggies added.
Apple Slices: Subway has zero sodium apple slices if you want a snack or to order on the side.
Reasonably Priced Low Sodium Food Options at Chick Fil A
Chick-fil-A, although known for its hearty meals, also offers some moderately low sodium options. Below are some of them:
Grilled Chicken Sandwich: This happens to be the best low sodium content-wise Chicken sandwich offered by Chick-fil-A as it only contains 700 mg of sodium. Boring, I guess, but still preferable to getting fried chicken sandwiched in a bun with so many sodium levels.
Grilled Nuggets (8-count): This new product has the advantage of possessing approximately only 440 mg of sodium which is a good offer for a sodium conscious person.
Fruit Cup: Contains no additional salty ingredients making it a perfect healthy side.
4. Taco Bell Low Sodium Options
You may not consider it as a fast food diner with healthy and low sodium food options, but Taco Bell does have some good choices:
Chicken Soft Taco (Fresco Style): Ordering the chicken soft taco fresco style (no cheese, cream or fats, just salsa) allows one to eat the taco and stay within the 480 mg sodium range.
Power Menu Bowl (Chicken, no cheese, no sour cream): this bowl can be modified by removing the cheese and the sour cream hence the sodium content is reduced to about 560 mg.
Black Beans and Rice: This uncomplicated side dish has only 330 mg of sodium.
5. Low Sodium Options Provided by Panera Bread
Panera Bread offers a wide array of soups, salads, and sandwiches, however, they have a few low sodium options as well:
Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich (1 half): This good sandwich comes with 460 mg of sodium, which is a fair deal for one’s lunchtime cravings.
Seasonal Greens Salad: A simple and plain salad served without dressing has sodium content of 25 mg. As such, a request for a small slice of lemon may be warranted on occasion, or oil and vinegar may be offered, as a means of dressing up the dish while keeping the sodium content low.
Loss of Sodium in Chicken Noodle Soup (1 cup): 460 mg sodium is considerate and quite low for soups available in the fast food restaurants.
6. Starbucks Low Sodium Options
Drinkers of Starbucks coffee need not worry about the cornucopia of products offered at the establishment where upholding the ‘one product, one price’ principle is of great importance as customers can also enjoy bread buns, cheese cakes and salad packs among others. Here are some low sodium suggestions:
Spinach, Feta & Egg White Wrap: This wrap has a sodium content of 840 mg, which is considerably lower in comparison to most of the other breakfast alternatives.
Egg Bites (Kale & Portabella Mushroom): In these egg bites, the sodium content is that much low at only 540 mg and most importantly contains a lot of protein, therefore, they can be taken for breakfast.
Classic Oatmeal: Containing only 125mg of sodium, one is guaranteed that Starbucks classic oatmeal will make a great and healthy breakfast as it is mild and uncomplicated.
What are the lowest sodium foods to eat?
Nutritional Value of Various Options for Low Salt Diet
Consider alternatives such as:
1.Fish or shellfish in its refrigerated or frozen state.
2.Skinless or non-marinated chicken or turkey breast.
3.Meat in the form of non-fat beef or pork cuts.
4.Nuts and seeds which have no added salt.
5.Legumes and pulses like black beans, chickpeas-garbanzos, and lentils
Which fast foods have less sodium?
McDonald’s: 4-Piece Chicken McNuggets. Burger King: Chicken Fries. Wendy’s: Plain Baked Potato. Taco Bell: Crunchy Taco With Beef, Fresco Style. Chick-fil-A: 8-Count Grilled Chicken Nuggets. Subway: 6’ Veggie Delite. Starbucks: Bounty Berry Parfait.
Does chicken have less sodium content?
The Final Word: Low Sodium Foods List
Sodium is generally harmful to protein emissions although protein has many positive activities in the body. Most smoke, cure or preserve meat with salt or sodium-rich substances. FoHowever, a low sodium diet will allow unprocessed bare meats of beef, bird, chicken, fish and other protein sports.