Milkshakes can be delicious, but unless they are made with ingredients specifically intended to be healthy, milkshakes tend to be conducive to weight gain, rather than weight management. Although sugar tends to be the focus of milkshakes, they also contain significant amounts of other nutrients that can affect your health, such as sodium. Note that nutrition facts may vary depending on the manufacturer, so check product labels when available.
Sodium Overview
Because the detrimental effects of too much sodium are well-publicized and low sodium content is used as a selling point, it can be difficult to remember that sodium is an essential nutrient. Your body needs sodium to facilitate the transmission of nerve impulses, to contract muscles and to regulate the amount of fluids in your body. Because of its importance, the U.S. Department of Agriculture suggests consuming 2,300 mg daily.
Sodium Content in Milkshakes
Milkshakes aren't salty, so you might expect them to be virtually sodium-free. However, this isn't the case -- a 16 oz. milkshake contains 190 mg of sodium, which comprises 8 percent of the daily recommended intake. If you have high blood pressure, kidney disease or diabetes, the recommended intake drops to 1,500 mg, so a 16 oz. milkshake would provide about 13 percent of the daily suggested level of consumption.
Risks of Too Much Sodium
If sodium is such a vital nutrient, why are low-sodium foods considered beneficial? Because too much sodium can be harmful. Regularly consuming high levels of sodium can put stress on your kidneys, which process sodium. Additionally, too much sodium may increase your blood pressure and cause water retention, which can cause bloating.
High Sodium Foods
If you have high blood pressure or feel as though you're at risk for this condition, you should avoid high-sodium foods. While milkshakes may be acceptable, many foods are not. Soup, bread crumbs, sauerkraut, sandwiches, burgers and fries from fast-food restaurants, cured meats and canned foods are among the foods high in sodium, according to the USDA.
Other Nutrition Facts
While milkshakes aren't overly high in sodium, they are high in other nutrients, such as sugar, with 72 g; total fat, 13 g; and saturated fat, with 8 g per 16 oz. serving. This amount of saturated fat is 50 percent of the daily suggested limit of 16 g; too much saturated fat can increase your risk of heart disease. A 16 oz. milkshake also contains 50 mg of cholesterol, which is 17 percent of the daily suggested limit of 300 mg.
References
- Mayo Clinic; Sodium: How to Tame Your Salt Habit Now; March 2011
- MyFitnessPal: Calories in McDonald's Vanilla Milkshake
- USDA National Nutrient Database: Sodium, Na (mg) Content of Selected Foods Per Common Measure, Sorted by Nutrient Content
- American Heart Association; Knowing Your Fats; September 2010
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