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Sound Bites
August, 1996

Eat Less Sodium, Retain Bone Mass
Research on osteoporosis confirms that the more sodium (salt) you eat, the more your body loses calcium. Calcium loss can lead to osteoporosis and bone fractures as a person ages. This is particularly true for postmenopausal women. It has been known that high sodium levels in the diet cause calcium to be lost in the urine. More specific recent studies confirm that sodium-induced loss of calcium in the urine does lead to loss of bone density in older women.

A study followed more than 100 postmenopausal women for two years and found that those who took in the most sodium lost the most bone in their hips and ankles. Women who averaged 3,000 milligrams of sodium a day needed to consume roughly 1,700 milligrams of calcium to prevent any bone loss. (3,000 milligrams is the equivalent of 1[[breve]] teaspoons of salt.) Reducing sodium in the diet can make a difference; women who ate 2,300 milligrams of sodium a day needed 1,200 milligrams of calcium to prevent bone loss. The general recommendation from the study was to simply eat less salt. To decrease salt in the diet, read food labels (packaged foods are often high in sodium), and don't add salt while cooking. For flavorful alternatives in cooking or at the table, add spices, lemon juice, salsa, fresh herbs, or fresh ground pepper, also try lowfat sauces or dressings.

Freezer Safety
Freezer temperatures are probably not something most of us think about; however, temperature levels can make a difference in both food safety and nutrient retention. Here are a few facts of interest from the July 1996 issue of the Tufts University Diet and Nutrition Letter:

• Freezing does not kill bacteria. Freezing stops or slows the growth of bacteria. Some bacteria can even continue to grow at freezing temperatures. Make sure food is completely defrosted before being thoroughly cooked to kill any bacteria.

• Even if your freezer keeps food frozen it may not be cold enough. If your freezer is above zero degrees Fahrenheit it will take too long for unfrozen food to freeze. In the process, ice crystals will form which damage the food's texture and cause the loss of water soluble nutrients--vitamins B and C. Ice crystals trap the nutrients and they are lost when the food is defrosted.

• It is safe to refreeze food that has been defrosted in the refrigerator, provided that it is refrozen immediately upon defrosting.

• Cuts of meat like roasts or whole chickens will remain good quality for up to a year if thoroughly wrapped. Processed meats like hot dogs will keep for only a month. Foods like bread can be frozen for two to three months.

1. Don't eat fatty ground beef and other meats like ribs, bacon, and sausage. Remember 80% lean means 20% fat.

2. Limit lean red meat to no more than three times a week. It still contains fat.

3. Do eat "plants only" dinners at least three times a week. Use beans or soy products, grains, and vegetables. Try pasta and tomato sauce, vegetarian burritos, stir-fried tofu and vegetables over rice, soup with salad and cornbread, veggie burgers...

4. Make all your snacks fruits and vegetables. It makes the "at least five a day" easier.

5. Switch to low-fat or fat-free milk, yogurt, ice cream, and cheese. (2% milk isn't really low fat)

6. Limit pizza or other cheesy foods to once or twice a month.

7. Pick the whole grains option. Use whole grain breads, crackers, cereals, bagels, tortillas. Cook whole grains like brown rice, bulgur, and millet.

8. If you eat butter or margarine use only the light varieties or sprays. Note: Harvest carries spreads that have no saturated fats or trans fats (hydrogenated oils), both of which contribute to high cholesterol.

9. Cut down on sodium. Read labels on prepared foods which are more often higher in sodium than fresh foods.

10. Don't overload on sweets. Americans get more sweets from soft drinks than any other food. Also watch the baked goods and ice cream. Sweets are empty calories, contribute to tooth decay, and many are high in fats.

11. If you drink alcoholic beverages, keep it to no more than one a day for women and two a day for men. Women have to balance an increased risk of breast cancer (in premenopausal women) with a decreased risk of heart disease.

12. Take a multivitamin and mineral. Vitamins can't fix a broken diet, but they can help make a good diet better.