Too much sodium can kill

Evidence shows that reducing sodium in our diet is so critical because it can help lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. During this post, I will help you understand how to reduce your sodium without giving up all your favorite foods.

Before we talk about reducing our sodium intake, let's discuss some of the benefits of sodium.

1. Sodium is an essential mineral in our body

2. Helps with muscle and nerve function

3. Balances water in and around cells

4. Maintains blood pressure levels

5. Used as a preservative for foods

6. Enhances flavor in foods

How much sodium should we consume?

“Healthy adults should limit sodium to less than 2300mg/day (that equates to about 1 teaspoon of salt). On average we consume over 3400mg/day.”

There are reasons why we should monitor our sodium levels.

1. Too much sodium makes the body retain fluid, which can increases blood pressure

2. It can also increase risk of stroke, heart disease and kidney disease

3. Eating less sodium helps offset the rise in blood pressure that occurs as we age

Let’s look at how to reduce sodium in our diet

First, we need to know how much sodium we are consuming, so we'll know how much to eat. We also need to know that most of the sodium we consume comes from packaged and restaurant foods.

For example, Olive Garden’s Tour of Italy has a day and ½ worth of sodium in that one meal.

You can track your sodium by using apps to monitor sodium. My favorite app for tracking sodium is MyfitnessPal. Also, by using a tracking app, you will readily see what foods contain high amounts of sodium and you can swap for lower sodium items.

Check out the difference in these two sandwiches. One focuses on lower sodium.

You should always read food labels. High sodium foods contain greater than 300mg/serving. Especially, lunch meats, bacon and soups. Low sodium foods contain less than 140mg/serving. You should look for beans, lentils, oats, fresh fruits, veggies and potatoes.

Other actions to reduce sodium

“Remember, we have acquired a taste for a high salt diet and it takes about 6-8 weeks to retrain taste buds. Try it and see for yourself!”

You should consider these things when planning your daily meals;

• Food labels only give you the amount of sodium for 1 serving so be mindful of how many servings you are consuming

• Avoid processed and can foods that are high in sodium

• Don’t overlook condiments because they also contain sodium. 1 tablespoon of ketchup is 180mg of sodium

• Beverages also contain sodium. For example, one cup of milk has 120 mg of sodium

• Prepare meals at home so you can control how much sodium is included

• Use fresh herbs and spices to enhance the flavor of foods. Great choices include dill, garlic, rosemary, basil, onion powder and lemon juice

• Use salt free spices such as Mrs. Dash or McCormick

• Remove the salt shaker from the table and don’t salt food during cooking

• Look up restaurant menus online, or share a meal. You can take half of the meal home for the next day

• Rinse off can foods that contain sodium or buy low sodium can items as noted below

One final thought

“The CDC reports that high blood pressure is preventable by most people.”

Check out how the CDC suggests reducing sodium at https://www.cdc.gov/salt/reduce_sodium_tips.htm

Check out how the CDC suggests reducing blood pressure at https://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/

In America, we supersize our eating portions so it’s no wonder we get far too many calories and sodium. One great tip to help with this is to use a smaller plate when eating. Some restaurants have a “small plate” section on their menus to help customers eat less food.

You can do this at home by using a smaller plate. Most plates used at home are 10½” wide. Using an 8½” plate will reduce how much you can put on it. If you are trying to lose weight or reduce your sodium, then you may not return for a second serving. This will reduce your calorie and sodium intake.