Excess salt in your diet is attributed to a number of harmful effects to your body, ranging from increased blood pressure to heightened risk for kidney problems, according to CBS News. While some culprits -- such as French fries with visible salt -- are easy to spot, other high-sodium foods can be subtler. Learning to recognize and avoid high-sodium foods can reduce your risk for harmful side effects due to sodium consumption.
Recommended Intake
The recommended daily salt intake for Americans is 2,300 mg per day, which is the equivalent to 1 tsp. of salt, according to Health.com. However, many Americans get about 3,500 mg per day -- twice the recommended amount. Three-fourths of this salt intake comes from processed foods, meaning minerals like salt have been added to the food to enhance taste and possibly preserve its shelf life.
Surprising Foods
When you consider your recommended sodium intake, it is easy to see how you could exceed it through eating certain foods in your diet. For example, 1 cup of whole-grain cereal has about 400 mg of sodium on average, according to CBS News. Cottage cheese or a bagel contains about 1/3 the recommended daily sodium intake. Other surprising sources of sodium in your diet include 1 cup of cottage cheese, which contains 900 mg of sodium. Cheese and processed tomato products like tomato paste also are high in sodium unless otherwise labeled.
Sweet Foods
Not all foods that are high in sodium taste salty. For example, a chocolate iced cake doughnut contains 320 mg of sodium, according to CBS News. A java chip light blended coffee contains 350 mg of sodium per 16 oz. serving. Because you may not be able to tell a food is high in sodium by its taste, always read food labels.
Solution
To avoid hidden sources of sodium in your daily diet, avoid processed foods whenever possible. Instead of pre-packaged, buy fresh sources. Fruits, vegetables and whole-grain products as close to their natural state tend to be lower in sodium. You also can look for low-sodium versions of traditionally high-sodium foods, such as soups and frozen meals. Read food labels carefully -- don't just pay attention to calories and fat grams. Also look at the sodium listing, comparing it to the serving size, to ensure your food will not put you over your daily sodium limit. A food is considered high in salt if it has more than 480 mg per serving, according to ABC News.
References
- CBS News; FDA Hopes to "Shake" Hidden Salt in Our Diets; August 2010
- Mississippi State University Extension; Hidden Salt: High Sodium Foods; September 2005
- ABC News; Beward of Hidden High-Sodium Foods; August 2006
- Health.com: 25 Surprisingly Salty Processed Foods
- BBC News; Warning Over Hidden Salt in Foods; March 2007
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