You may not think you consume a lot of salt, especially if you don't add salt to your food. You may be getting more than you think. Most of the salt (sodium) consumed comes from processed and restaurant foods.
We need a small amount of sodium for the body to function properly, but too much can be hard on your health. Excess sodium can increase blood pressure and your risk for heart disease and stroke.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend the everyone aged two and older should consume less than 2300 milligrams of sodium each day. People over 51 years old, African Americans and anyone with high blood pressure should limit their sodium intake to 1500 milligrams per day.
Where is your sodium coming from?
The top six foods that add high levels of sodium to your diet might surprise you.
- Breads and rolls
- Cold cuts and cured meats
- Pizza
- Poultry
- Canned soups
- Fast food sandwiches and burgers
Sodium is necessary to help keep normal body fluids in balance. You can keep your sodium intake at a manageable point by learning to read labels and control portions, include high fiber foods in your diet and experiment with other seasonings and spices. Low sodium versions of many foods are available.
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