Trying to adopt a lower-sodium diet? You’re not alone. High blood pressure, a risk factor for heart issues, is the main reason doctors and dietitians recommend limiting salt. Reducing it can be a challenge because it enhances flavours and helps preserve foods — smoked, cured and pickled foods all depend on salt. It is also found in most processed foods and may be hidden where you do not expect it.
Salt, or sodium, to be precise, is a major electrolyte our bodies require. It regulates fluid balance and helps with muscle contraction and nerve signalling. Because it affects fluid balance, sodium also affects blood pressure. High-sodium diets are linked to higher blood pressure.
Simply speaking, this is because water follows sodium. The higher the sodium in your blood, the more water is retained in your blood. This leads to increased pressure in your vessels as blood is pumped out by the heart. Over time, increased blood pressure can damage the vessel wall, initiating a chain of events that could lead to cardiovascular problems such as stroke, heart failure, and kidney issues. The keywords here are “chain of events” because blood pressure is one of many factors affecting overall heart health.
Current dietary recommendations limit sodium to 2,300 milligrams per day for men and women, which is about 1 teaspoon. But the average American eats upwards of 3,400 milligrams per day. Those at risk for heart disease — which includes people over 50 years old and anyone with high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney disease — are advised to limit their intake to 1,500 milligrams per day.
Some people are less “sodium-sensitive” than others. Those without sensitivity can eat more sodium and it won’t raise their blood pressure as much. It is genetic, and it is hard to know where you stand without first getting tested. The best thing to do is to be conservative: Trim sodium from your diet.
Sodium is found almost everywhere in the diet. To help you stay within your sodium goals, here are some tips:
Figure out what your typical sodium intake is and work toward a goal to cut 1,000 milligrams per day. It’s better to reduce intake gradually rather than cold turkey. If your salt intake is at a level of 4,000 milligrams per day, you will not enjoy your food when you suddenly cut to a 2,300-milligram sodium diet. It takes time for the taste buds to readjust. Continue to decrease sodium intake until reaching your goal (~2,300 milligrams per day for healthy adults).
Using an app like “myfitnesspal” to track your sodium intake can help manage it. If you accidentally go over your sodium limit for the day, look back at your diary to figure out which foods were highest in sodium. Over time, you will learn what affects your levels and will improve your intake.
Buy fresh food as much as possible. About 75% of the sodium in the diet comes from processed food. The rule of thumb is that the more processed a food is, the more sodium it contains because there is more opportunity to introduce sodium.
Cooking your meals is one of the best ways to control the amount of sodium in your food. Use these tips to keep your meal as low in sodium as possible:
Understanding the label lingo that goes into buying canned or packaged goods helps you trim sodium from your diet. Here are a few terms to review when shopping:
Pay extra attention to sodium levels when shopping for these foods: