Is It Really Low Sodium
We will call it low sodium for a once in a while, comparative sense. While it may be lower sodium for a Mac and cheese, you will more than likely still be pairing it with another main meal entree. In the end that could potentially put you over your sodium per meal goal.
Unfortunately the main ingredient besides the pasta is cheese. And most cheese is just not our friend in a low sodium diet world.
Mac and cheese has never been a side dish Ive eaten very often. I would mainly have it when at a cookout or around a holiday. But when I do, I like it a little saucier rather than just a clump of dry, sticky cheese covered noodles. Either way, it is probably not a side dish that you really should be eating every day, but it does hit the spot once in a while.
I had to make and eat four different versions of Mac and cheese to achieve what I thought was a decent mix between low sodium and for it to still have a cheesy taste. I am officially Mac and cheesed out for a while.
So it was a push-pull process getting a moderate amount of cheese and balancing that with a dish that you really dont eat every day but would still taste good. I had to reduce the cheese to the bare minimum but still taste like Mac and cheese. Then I cooked the pasta in unsalted chicken broth and milk in a low boil, reducing the amount of cheese and calories to give it more flavor and extra creaminess.
How Much Sodium Does A Piece Of Swiss Cheese Have
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While over 5 percent of Americans are deficient in essential nutrients like vitamin C and iron, nine out of 10 consume far more sodium than they need. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, America’s excessive sodium intake costs the United States health care system as much as $270 billion each year. To keep your sodium levels within healthy boundaries, you should focus your diet on low-sodium foods. Many foods naturally contain sodium, and some — including Swiss cheese — should be eaten in moderation in order to avoid too much sodium in your diet.
Potential Health Benefits Of Swiss Cheese
Eating swiss cheese could provide a few important health benefits however, it may also present risks for people with certain health conditions.
Both the protein and calcium found in swiss cheese contribute to healthier, stronger bones. Protein has been linked to the development of bones and their formation. In addition, calcium intake ensures that our bones are healthy, and also contributes to healthy blood flow and muscles.
Builds Muscle Mass
Swiss cheese contains a lot of protein. While protein is a necessity for our diets, it also provides benefits to the body like building muscle mass and contributing to our strength. Eating more protein has been proven to be directly related to building strength in resistance training.
Lower Blood Pressure
More research is needed to fully connect swiss cheese with lower blood pressure. However, one study showed that cheese contains concentrations of two antihypertensive peptides that were found to have blood pressure-lowering properties.
High Blood Pressure and Heart Disease
Because swiss cheese contains higher levels of both sodium and fat, eating it could lead to a greater risk of developing high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.
Additionally, a person who is lactose intolerant should avoid eating swiss cheese. Because cheese contains lactose like other milk and dairy products, those with a lactose intolerance could experience diarrhea, belly pain, or excessive bloating after consuming it.
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Medium Levels Of Cheese
A few cheeses weigh in at 100 to 125 mg: Neufchatel, Goat cheese, Gruyere. Consider that the varieties at the top of the list have nearly 4 times the amount of sodium than these cheeses! If you enjoy their flavors, these cheeses can probably considered as an occasional delicacy of a not too strict low sodium diet. Remember that Gruyère cheese is technically a variation of Swiss cheese.
Reheating Your Low Sodium Mac And Cheese
This dish is easily reheated in the microwave in about a minute and a half. If it seems dry from the pasta absorbing every last bit of moisture, add a splash of milk and mix halfway through heating.
As always, please let me know how you like this recipe in the comments! I get motivated when I hear from you and interested to learn about how you liked and served your Low Sodium Mac and Cheese. So please, leave a comment and rating or share any tips you might have. You can follow me on and also, for new recipes.
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A Low Sodium Mac And Cheese
Mac and Cheese from a box seems to come in two levels of sodium per cup, 570mg for the regular or 910mg for the deluxe version. Of course, neither one having any real cheese, just what is that really?
For most regular recipes, sodium levels vary widely from just under 600mg up to 1000mg for just one cup. Most of the sodium amount depends on how much and the type of cheese used.
This Low Sodium Mac and Cheese is right at the bleeding edge of what I would consider acceptable for my low sodium diet. This recipe comes in at 152mg of sodium per one cup. Still way lower than the boxed version or most recipes but, much higher than I like to have for a side dish. Thankfully it is not a side dish I eat often to really worry about.
Low Sodium Mac And Cheese
A Low Sodium Mac and Cheese? I really struggled to officially call it that as it is still much higher in sodium than I would like for a side dish. But I think that this is about the lowest Mac and cheese you can make and still be the real thing while still being true to its name. So lets just call it low sodium compared to any other Mac and cheeses.
| Typical sodium amount per serving | 600+ mg |
| Sodium per serving for this recipe | 152 mg |
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The 9 Healthiest Types Of Cheese
Cheese is a dairy product that comes in hundreds of different textures and flavors.
Its produced by adding acid or bacteria to milk from various farm animals, then aging or processing the solid parts of the milk.
The nutrition and taste of cheese depend on how it is produced and what milk is used.
Some people are concerned that cheese is high in fat, sodium, and calories. However, cheese is also an excellent source of protein, calcium, and several other nutrients.
Eating cheese may even aid weight loss and help prevent heart disease and osteoporosis. That said, some cheeses are healthier than others.
Here are 9 of the healthiest types of cheese.
Comparison To Other Foods
Swiss cheese contains about as much sodium in every 1-ounce serving as one whole egg, 3 ounces of cooked beef such as beef chuck roast, 3 ounces of turkey, one sweet potato or a 1-cup serving of cooked lima beans. Foods like cabbage, cantaloupe, corn, raisins, lettuce, grains like couscous or barley, kale and legumes such as white or pinto beans have a lower per-serving concentration of sodium compared to Swiss cheese. The highest sodium foods — ones that contain 400 milligrams or more of sodium in every serving — include processed foods like canned soup, most fast-food sandwiches, frozen meals and prepackaged seasoning mixes.
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If You Really Want A Baked On Topping
Though I am not a fan of baked Mac and cheese if you really want a topping and for it to be done right it will have to go in the oven. Pour Mac and Cheese mix into an appropriately sized oven safe dish. Sprinkle Matzo meal and any additional spices as desired over top, then a heavy spray of olive oil cooking spray.
Bake in a pre-heated 425 degree oven for about 15 minutes until the topping just browns. Then remove and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
What The Label Means
Reading labels is an important part of choosing what foods you buy and eat. Don’t let food labels mislead you, though. Here’s what you need to know about sodium content:
- While these may or may not be naturally low-sodium foods, labels claiming no salt added/unsalted mean no salt was added during processing.
- Low-sodium foods contain 140 mg or less per serving.
- Very low-sodium foods contain 35 mg or less per serving.
- Salt-free/sodium-free foods must contain no more than 5 mg per serving.
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Five Of The Healthiest Cheeses
May 9, 2014
You dont normally see cheese on healthy food lists, but its part of pretty much everyones diet.
No matter how healthy I eat, there is always room for a little cheese. This month, I did some research on the healthiest types of cheese that you can enjoy at breakfast, lunch and dinner. In general, choose cheeses that are low in sodium and fat soft cheeses tend to have higher amounts of both.
Here are 5 cheeses to try next time you go grocery shopping:
1. Cottage Cheese: A white curd cheese that is a light flavor, it mixes well with both sweet and savory ingredients. Mix it with fruit in the morning or top off a bowl of pasta and tomato sauce for a light dinner. Cottage cheese is high in phosphorous that aids in bone health and it contains all 9 amino acids. It comes in a variety of types: regular, low fat and nonfat. Low and nonfat are recommended since they contain less fat. While it has various nutritional benefits, it is high in sodium and portion size is key. A one four-ounce serving size of low 1% milk fat cottage contains 81 calories, 1.15 grams of fat and 459 mg of sodium.
3. Swiss: A hard cheese that is full of flavor. Swiss is a great lunch alternative to higher fat sandwich cheeses like provolone and cheddar. Chop up slices to use in a Cobb salad. Swiss is high in vitamin A and low in calories, fat and sodium. One ounce contains 112 calories, 9 g of fat and 53 mg of sodium.
The Kinds Of Cheese With The Most Amount Of Sodium
This chart representing sodium levels in popular varieties of cheese speaks for itself . Starting at the top, we have cheeses with the most amount of sodium: Parmesan, Asiago, Low Fat American, Blue cheese, American, Romano, Feta, Edam. Slightly lower in sodium are Provolone, Camembert, Gouda, Fontina. Pretty much the same sodium levels can be found in Mozzarella, Brie, Muenster, Mexican blend, Cheddar, Havarty and many others. All these varieties have just under 200 mg per 1 oz serving or one slice. Cheese found on your typical pizza can also be found in this middle of the road category.
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Swiss Cheese In Special Diets
Swiss is one of the healthiest cheeses available. Here is how Swiss cheese fits into some common specialty diets:
Low sodium diets: One ounce of Swiss cheese has about 54 mg of sodium. Meanwhile, the same serving of cheddar cheese has 176 mg. of sodium thats more than 300 percent more. Use a few cubes of Swiss in your next salad instead of croutons!
Low potassium diets: A serving of one ounce of Swiss has about 22 mg of potassium, which fits perfectly into a low-potassium diet. High-potassium foods generally have more than 200 mg. Try some Swiss crumbles in your next batch of chili instead of beans, which are high in potassium.
High protein diets: The U.S. Dept. of Agriculture suggests that adults need about 0.8 g. of protein per kilogram of body weight. One ounce of Swiss cheese has about 7.63 grams of protein which comes out to about 10 percent of what a 200-pound person needs per day. Proteins serve as a type of building block for bones, muscles, skin and blood in your body.
High calcium diets: Healthy adults should eat between 1,000 and 1,200 mg a day in calcium. One slice of Swiss cheese helps reach that goal, as it contains about 220 mg of calcium. Calcium promotes strong bones and heart health.
Low-fat diets: Swiss cheese has lower fat content than most cheeses. Cheddar cheese has 9.4 grams of fat in a one-ounce serving while Swiss has just 7.88 grams. Substitute Swiss for cheddar in just about any recipe for a healthier choice.
How Do You Prepare Cheese For Babies With Baby
Every baby develops on their own timeline. The preparation suggestions below are for informational purposes only and are not a substitute for professional, one-on-one advice from your pediatric medical or health professional, nutritionist or dietitian, or expert in pediatric feeding and eating. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read or seen here.
6 to 9 months old: Cut into wide, thin slices for your baby to munch on. Avoid offering cubes of cheese, which increase the choking risk.
9 to 18 months old: Continue to cut into thin slices for your baby or toddler. If a too big piece of cheese breaks off int their mouth, give your child the opportunity to work the cheese forward before intervening. You may also offer shredded cheese if you are nervous about choking.
18 to 24 months old: If your baby has established good chewing and swallowing skills, they may be ready for cubes of cheese. While cubes can increase the risk of choking compared to thin slices, it is a good skill for toddlers to learn as cheese is often served in cubes at parties.
For more information on how to cut food for babies, visit our page on Food Sizes & Shapes.
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Creamy Low Sodium Macaroni And Cheese
NUTRITIONAL SUMMARY:
124 mg sodium per serving
142.3 mg potassium per serving
95.3 mg phosphorus per serving
- 7ouncesmacaroni
- 2Tbspunsalted butter
- Ground black pepper
- 1cupmilk
- 2Tbspnutritional yeast
Hacking The Salt But Perfecting The Taste
We needed to copy the ooey-gooey melty goodness with our low sodium version. So we started with our melty cheese sauce. We make a bechamel sauce by creating a roux and mixing in a lower sodium milk option to give us the rich creamy base. Just like we use in my Low Sodium Swiss Potato Au Gratin.
Next came the spices and seasoning for flavor and color. We were looking to hit a cross between the processed cheese powder and an aged cheddar. We started with notes of onion. I thought that ground mustard would give us the tang and salt flavor. We were close, but we needed earthiness, so out came the paprika. It was almost there. We added Swiss, yes, Swiss.
Trust me on this, it works. You need the nuttiness and casein taste of Swiss which is also the base flavors of cheddar, before they split in direction. Finally, you need the umami that aging gives to cheddar. We tried a few choices, but settled with turmeric. It provides the aged cheddar nuance, and better yet, it gives us that super dayglo orange color we need to mentally associate it to the boxed version.
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What Are The Saltiest Cheeses
A few weeks ago I asked people on Facebook what nutrition questions they want answered. This time, I got a question that surprised me: “What cheeses are the saltiest?” Random, I thought! Yet once I dived into writing this post, I realized it’s a really good question Americans eat way too much sodium, and cheese is a high-sodium culprit. If you’re trying to lower the amount of sodium in your diet, knowing which cheeses are less salty than others could help you out. More generally, you can minimize the sodium load of your diet by cutting down on restaurant meals and processed foods the two biggest sources of sodium in our diets and cooking more meals at home using fresh, whole ingredients.
Here are some of your favorite cheeses ranked from most to least salty. To put these numbers in perspective, a teaspoon of salt is 2,400 mg of sodium, and the recommended daily limit of sodium for most people is 2,300 mg/day.
Ultimate Baked Low Sodium Macaroni And Cheese
Macaroni and cheese is no longer on the naughty list! Commence the happy-dancing and rejoicing! Its OK, you know you want to. The Kraft Macaroni and Cheese Blue Box is 720 mg per 1 cup serving. So good but sooo bad for sodium. So in order to get it back on the table I had to come up with a low sodium version. My children would have revolted if I didnt. So after much testing and tweaking, here is the Ultimate Baked Low Sodium Macaroni and Cheese.
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