As you're racing from one chore to the next, it's easy to skimp on certain nutrients and overdose on others. The good news: "There's no food or dietary component that you have to eliminate from ahealthy diet," says Rachel Begun, MS, RD, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. "But you have to plan a little." Here are women's most common nutrition mistakes and how to fix them.
You eat too much sodium
The recommended daily allowance for sodium is 2,300 mg. But if you're over 50 years old, have high blood pressure, diabetes or kidney disease or are African American, your sodium intake shouldn't go above 1,500 mg per day. Unfortunately, the average American consumes about 3,300 mg daily, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). "Most of our daily sodium comes from restaurant meals and processed foods, not the salt shaker on your table," says Begun.
The fix: Eat more fresh foods or prepare more foods at home, where you control how much salt goes in. Reduce your consumption of packaged foods. Watch for sodium in condiments too. Even low-sodium soy sauce has a whopping 533 mg per tablespoon. Dine at restaurants that cook to order, so you can ask chefs to prepare items without salt and serve sauces on the side.
Women’s 8 Biggest Eating Mistakes