The human body needs sodium, commonly known as salt, to function. Salt helps to balance the amount of water in and out of cells and acts as an electrolyte, aiding in the transmission of electrical impulses between the nerves, muscles and brain. Too much sodium increases the risk for developing high blood pressure, a condition that affects 1 in 3 adults in the U.S., according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. To decrease your risk for high blood pressure or reduce your already high blood pressure, you may be advised to follow a low-sodium diet.
Sodium Effects
Although necessary to maintain normal functions, sodium in excessive amounts can cause harmful effects. Salt attracts water. The higher the salt level in the body, the more water the body retains. An increase in fluids in the body causes the volume of blood to increase. As the volume of blood increases the blood pressure -- the pressure the blood exerts against the walls of the blood vessels -- must increase to keep the blood circulating.
Sodium Intake
Sodium occurs naturally in some foods, but this makes up only approximately 10 percent of your total sodium intake, according to the FDA. The majority of the sodium in your diet comes from the salt added to processed foods. The average American consumes approximately 3,436 mg of salt per day, according to the American Heart Association. The Dietary Guidelines for American specifies an adult should consume no more than 2,300 mg of sodium per day.
What is Low Sodium?
Some organizations, including the American Heart Association, believe that those with high blood pressure should reduce their sodium intake even further to 1,500 mg or less per day. This can be a difficult goal to meet with so many foods containing a high level of sodium. In response to the concern over the high incidence of high blood pressure, many food manufacturers are lowering their sodium content and advertising products as "low sodium" or "reduced sodium." The FDA regulates the nutritional claims on food labels. A product labeled as sodium-free should contain less than 5 mg of sodium per serving. Low sodium products should contain 140 mg or less per serving or less than 5 percent of the daily value. A reduced sodium product needs to contain 25 percent less sodium than the original product, according to the American Heart Association.
Low Sodium Diet
High blood pressure increases the risk for other chronic diseases, including heart disease and kidney disease. To maintain a healthy cardiovascular system you should follow a low sodium diet. The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute developed an eating plan known as the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. The DASH diet provides a low-fat, low-cholesterol, low-sodium eating plan that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products. This diet is meant to help you make permanent changes to your eating habits and provides guidelines for both 2,300 mg and 1,500 mg levels of sodium.
References
- National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute: High Blood Pressure
- FDA: Lowering Salt in Your Diet
- American Heart Association: Sodium
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services & U.S. Department of Agriculture: Dietary Guidelines for Americans
- National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute: Your Guide To Lowering Your Blood Pressure with DASH
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