Although the words "salt" and "sodium" are often used interchangeably, they are not the same substance. Sodium is a major mineral that helps control fluid balance. Salt is the name for a compound that contains two separate minerals: sodium and chloride. Table salt consists of 40 percent sodium and 60 percent chloride.
Complications of Sodium
Because sodium helps control fluid balance, it plays a vital role in controlling your blood pressure. If your body contains too much sodium, it triggers your kidneys to retain water in an effort to dilute the concentration of sodium in your blood. When your kidneys retain too much water, it can increase the volume of your blood, which can lead to high blood pressure. To prevent high blood pressure, avoid consuming too much sodium. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 90 percent of the sodium you consume is in the form of salt.
Sodium Recommendations
The Food and Nutrition Board, a subgroup of the Institute of Medicine, recommends that healthy adults consume less than 2,300 mg of sodium, which is the amount found in approximately 1 tsp. of salt. If you have high blood pressure, are middle-aged or African-American, you should limit your sodium intake to less than 1,500 mg per day.
Salt in Foods
Salt is a common ingredient used during cooking and in food manufacturing. Salt adds flavor to foods, gives foods a nice texture and helps the ingredients in foods bind together. Salt also acts as a preservative, extending the shelf-life of foods. Because of this last feature, manufacturers often add excess amounts of salt to foods that are meant to last a long time, such as canned, frozen and processed foods. Most of your sodium intake will come from the salt in these types of foods. To reduce your total sodium intake, remove commercially produced foods from your diet.
Reading Labels
On nutrition labels, the sodium content of foods is listed in milligrams (mg). This amount includes the sodium added to the food as well as any natural sodium that the food contains. When choosing packaged foods, look for foods that contain less than 500 mg of sodium per serving. It is also important to check ingredient lists. While salt is the biggest contributor of sodium in the diet, other ingredients can add to your sodium intake as well. Any ingredient that contains the words "salt," "sodium" or "soda" in its name contains sodium.
Member Comments