Sodium has no calories, so no recommendation can be made for the percent of your diet that should be sodium. Some health care providers recommend that you keep sodium intake to around 2 g per day. Too much salt can contribute to high blood pressure, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA.
Function
Your body needs some sodium because it helps maintain proper fluid balance in your body, according to MayoClinic.com. It also helps to transmit nerve impulses and contributes to muscle contraction and relaxation. Salt is added to foods to work as a preservative, preventing spoilage. Your kidneys help to maintain the right sodium balance in your body.
Health
MayoClinic. com warns that most people get too much sodium. About 75 percent of sodium in the American diet comes from processed foods, according to the FDA. Some people also get too much sodium because they add table salt to their food. Vegetables and milk products also contain some sodium. The FDA states that too much salt leads to high blood pressure, increasing risk of heart disease, stroke, heart failure and kidney disease.
Foods to Choose
To reduce sodium in your diet, replace processed and canned foods with fresh foods. Choose unsalted snacks. Eat foods that are rich in potassium, which can blunt the effects of sodium. Potassium rich-foods include leafy, green vegetables and fruits from vines. Choose steamed, grilled, baked, boiled and broiled foods. The National Institutes of Health recommends using oil and vinegar on salads instead of high-sodium salad dressings and eating fresh fruit for dessert. Pick unsalted or lower sodium broths, bouillons or soups. Choose fat-free or low-fat milk, low-sodium cheeses and low-fat yogurt.
Food Labels
Read food labels to find out sodium content in your foods. You may be surprised because many foods that don't taste salty contain sodium. Some ingredients that contain salt include monosodium glutamate, or MSG, baking soda, baking powder, disodium phosphate, sodium alginate and sodium nitrate or nitrite, according to MayoClinic.com. The Web site recommends consuming foods with no more than 200 mg of sodium per serving. Look for labels marked sodium-free, salt-free, very low sodium, low sodium, unsalted or no salt added. Avoid foods that list salt as one of the first ingredients.
Recommendations
The Institute of Medicine recommends that adults have about 1.5 g of sodium per day. After age 50, they should consume 1.3 g, and after age 70, they should get 1.2 g. The Upper Limit, or maximum level for people without high blood pressure, is 2.3 g. Staying under the Upper Limit, or UL, reduces risk of heart attack and stroke. If you have high blood pressure or are sodium-sensitive, your doctor may recommend a lower UL. Ask your doctor how much sodium is right for you.
Tips
Remove salt from recipes and limit use of condiments with high sodium. Instead of salt, use herbs, spices or lemon to flavor your food. Remember that you can still get too much sodium from salt substitutes, which may still contain some sodium. Ask your doctor before using a salt substitute, because they can also be harmful to people with some health conditions. Cut back on salt gradually to give your taste buds time to adjust. The National Institutes of Health lists examples of foods to limit, including processed meats, anchovies, olives, pickles, sauerkraut, soy and Worcestershire sauces, tomato and other vegetable juices, most cheeses, many bottled salad dressings, chips and crackers. (see reference 4)
Member Comments