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It's easy to get answers about health and nutrition! Just send your question by email to [email protected] and Dr. Harlan will respond to selected questions of general interest. Answers will be posted in the Ask Dr. Gourmet newsletter (sign up now!) and archived in the Ask Dr. Gourmet section of the website.

Please note that the Ask Dr. Gourmet feature is restricted to questions regarding food and nutrition. Due to the many questions we receive, not all questions may be answered. For more specific questions about your individual health, please contact your doctor. About Timothy S. Harlan, MD, FACP, CCMS | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy


 

The Dr. Gourmet Low Sodium Diet

The Dr. Gourmet Low Sodium Diet

Following a Low Sodium Diet Can Be Delicious!

The Dr. Gourmet website has extensive information on following a low sodium diet along with hundreds of low-sodium recipes. The Low Sodium Diet: Guide and Cookbook collects that guidance as well as a selection of popular low-sodium recipes in a convenient guide. Reducing your salt intake doesn't have to mean bland, boring food.

This guide, written by physician and chef Timothy S. Harlan, MD, includes:

• Reliable information based on sound science about the effects of salt on your heart and health
• 80+ delicious low sodium recipes
• Ingredient and cooking tips throughout the book
• Complete Nutrition Facts for each recipe

Now Available! Paperback: $19.95 + s/h | PDF: $14.95

Ask Dr. Gourmet

Does washing canned beans remove some of the salt?

If I wash canned beans and vegetables am I washing off some of the salt? All canned beans, etc., are usually full of salt unless the label says "no salt added." I am trying to avoid salt.

Dr. Gourmet Says...

Cannellini beans shown still in their metal can

Most canned beans and vegetables do contain a lot of added salt. There is usually about 400 - 500 mg sodium in a half cup of canned beans.

Unfortunately, simply rinsing canned beans doesn't help to reduce the sodium content all that much. Do keep in mind that by rinsing the liquid away you are rinsing away at least some of the sodium. How much? I am not sure.

I have only been able to find one study on this and it's over ten years old. The researchers rinsed the beans and then heated them in clear water. Measurements showed the sodium content dropped by about a third.

Fortunately, there are more and more brands that are selling a no salt added version of their beans. I have seen numerous house brands such as Winn Dixie and Kroger that have low or no salt canned beans. If you need to be on a very low salt diet, buying dried beans and cooking them yourself gives you the most control over the amount of added salt.

Thanks for writing,

Timothy S. Harlan, MD, FACP
Dr. Gourmet