French Fries, chips, fast food, and nuts. All of these delightful foods have something in common -salt. In its basic form, salt is made up of two elements: sodium and chloride. Sodium is heavily targeted as a “bad” element. But is it really as bad as we make it out to be?
Any good purpose for the body?
As bad as people make sodium out to be, it’s actually really important to get an adequate amount. Sodium is a key factor in maintaining fluid balance of the cells. If you have a high amount of sodium in your body, it can cause your cells to lose water, moving it into the bloodstream, and therefore increasing the volume of your blood; this is what increases blood pressure. With the help of potassium, sodium also helps regulate nerve impulses and helps our muscles contract, so we can move, and our hearts can beat normally.
How Much Do I Need?
For most adults, the adequate intake of sodium is 1500mg. This should fulfill the body’s needs and make sure it has plenty to function well; however, you might need more if you sweat more than the average person or participate in endurance sports. Keep this level in mind if doing a low sodium diet. If you don’t eat convenience foods, you might need to be conscious of getting enough sodium to meet your daily needs. Because most people easily exceed this number, the American Heart Association has established a limit of no more than 2,300mg a day.
Is Sodium Bad?
Absolutely not. As seen above, the body needs sodium for normal functions. Is it something to be conscious of? If you eat out or use convenience meals frequently, yes. Most food types in great excess are not always the best. The same is true with other vitamins and minerals. If you drink quarts of carrot juice every day, you’re probably going to end up with a vitamin A toxicity. The key is balance. If you live a busy lifestyle, and eating out is a must, try adding fresh fruit or veg to your meal and eat less of the convenience food.
For other ideas and meal planning tips for a busy lifestyle, see one of HNC’s providers!
Check out this visual reference for foods higher and lower in sodium here.
References:
Duyff, Roberta Larson, and Roberta Duyff. “Vitamins and Minerals” Academy of Nutrition and Dietetic Complete Food and Nutrition Guide, Houghton Miffin Harcourt, Boston, 2017.
I really appreciate you including post about sodium. My husband was diagnosed with Meniere's disease a few years ago. He was told to be careful about his sodium intake and not do more than the recommended allowance. As I began to educate myself about sodium I was surprised at how few low sodium options there are in canned items and even bread. We can no longer eat frozen pizzas. I was shocked to learn that a serving (which is small for most people) contains the whole amount of sodium for a single day!