Too much sodium in your diet can be harmful to your health, but national recommendations can help you make good decisions. U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines for sodium intake include amounts and suggestions for healthier choices, and USDA Food Patterns are in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Lowering your sodium intake may not be enough to get your blood pressure within a healthy range, so talk to your doctor if you have high blood pressure.
Background
Sodium is a necessary mineral for water balance in your body. You need to get it from your diet. However, the USDA recommends avoiding excess sodium. Habitually getting more than the recommended amount may lead to high blood pressure, which increases your risk for heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and congestive heart failure, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines from HHS. A low-sodium diet with sufficient potassium promotes healthy blood pressure.
USDA Food Pattern
The USDA recommends that healthy individuals keep sodium to no more than 2,300 mg per day, according to the HHS 2010 Dietary Guidelines. The USDA recommends keeping your intake of sodium to no more than 1,500 mg per day if you have high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, are African-American or are more than 51 years old. The recommendation to stay under 1,500 mg sodium per day applies to about half of Americans, according to the HHS guidelines.
Dietary Reference Intakes
The USDA supports the dietary reference intakes, which are sets of nutrient recommendations from the national Institute of Medicine. For healthy adults, the level of adequate intake is 1,500 mg of sodium per day, or the average amount estimated to replace losses from sweat. You may need more if you exercise vigorously or live in a hot, humid climate. The upper level of intake, or amount that is safe to consume regularly, is 2,300 mg for healthy adults.
Reducing Sodium Intake
Lower the amount of sodium in your diet by choosing low-sodium versions of canned foods, and reduce your intake of fast foods and other processed foods, as recommended in the HHS guidelines. Use herbs and spices for flavor instead of salt while cooking or at the table, and read nutrition labels so you know how much sodium is in the foods you eat. Be persistent and patient as you reduce your sodium intake because the enjoyment of salt is a learned habit, and it takes a while to change your tastes
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