Introduction
In the early week of October 2021, the US Food and Drug Administration [FDA] called on food manufacturers and chain restaurants to drastically reduce the content in all their food offerings and products. The aim was to cut down the typical daily sodium intake from 3400 mg to 3000 mg — approximately a 12% reduction.
While the recommendations still put daily sodium consumption above US dietary guidelines, it’s still a useful measure. That’s because, according to the FDA, modest sodium reductions made slowly over the few years could greatly cut down diet-related illnesses. It can help save thousands of lives every year if the food industry gradually embraces these guidelines.
Sodium And The Body
Sodium chloride, which is approximately 60% chloride and 40% sodium, flavours food and is also used as a stabilizer and binder. It is also a necessary food preservative as bacteria cannot thrive in a high quantity of salt. On the other hand, the human body requires a minuscule amount of sodium to maintain the right balance of water and minerals, conduct nerve impulses, and help contract and relax the muscles. According to medical experts, the human body requires approximately 500 mg of sodium daily to maintain these critical bodily functions.
However, excess sodium in the diet can result in stroke, heart disease and high blood pressure. It can also cause calcium loss that is pulled from the bone. Unfortunately, far too many of us consume triple the amount of salt that is far more than our bodies require.
Sodium And Good Health
The kidneys keep up with excess sodium by flushing it out of the body. But when sodium gathers in the body, it results in water retention and lack of water in diluting the sodium. Excessive sodium increases the fluid amount surrounding the cells and blood volume in the bloodstream. That means the heart has to do more work, and there is more pressure on blood vessels. Over an extended period of time, excessive work and stress can cause the blood vessels to stiffen, leading to heart attack, stroke and high blood pressure. It can also result in heart failure. There is much evidence that high sodium chloride can damage the heart and kidneys without raising blood pressure.
Foods High In Salt
If you measure a single teaspoon of table salt, you would know that it contains approximately 2300 mg of sodium. But with the average individual consuming about 3400 mg of sodium every day, this has resulted in a huge problem. Over 80% of the sodium found in our diets does not come from kitchen tables. Instead, it is through processed foods, packaged food items and restaurant foods. A handful of foods that are very high in sodium chloride include:
- Packaged sandwiches
- Burgers and pizzas
- Packaged soups
- Chips, crackers and popcorn
- Tinned and processed gravies and sauces and much more
Hidden salt is almost everywhere in today’s diet, especially seen in packaged and prepared meals. Cutting back on salt is important by reducing processed and packaged foods are essential as most people may be unaware of the amount of sodium they may be consuming in a single day. That’s because foods that are high in sodium may not exactly be salty. For instance, commercially available doughnuts and popular coffee drinks are known to contain more than 200 mg of sodium.
Similarly, some tinned chicken noodle soups brands have been discovered to contain over 1500 mg of sodium.
Even when cooking at home, it’s important to limit sodium in your diet. If you’re using canned tomatoes, bottled sauces, salad dressings, it’s important to read the ingredient list and the amount of sodium in it.
How To Cut Down Salt In Your Diet
An excellent way of cutting down sodium in your diet is to eat less when you go out. When cooking at home, make salad dressings, gravies and sauces from scratch without using processed to packaged ingredients in the recipe. Aim for at least 5% daily value for sodium when looking for low-sodium food items. Read the total number of savings on the ingredient list to know exactly how much sodium you would be consuming.
And if you do not have high blood pressure, reducing salt intake can be an intelligent approach. Try to stay within the guidelines of 1500 mg to 2300 mg per day — a balanced range that most medical and scientific experts agree on.
Conclusion
Most people believe that they do not need to worry about sodium and their dad unless they have a long-standing health condition such as high blood pressure or heart disease. But sodium is not innocent for healthy people as well. Include more fresh, unprocessed previews such as fruits and vegetables naturally low in sodium and opt for herbs, salt-free spices and sightless to season your recipes.
