In fact, your body needs a small amount of it to function properly. However, because salt enhances the flavor of food, an abundance of sodium is found in the American food supply, particularly in prepackaged "convenience" meals. Knowing sodium intake recommendations can aid you in making changes in your diet to decrease your consumption.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that you limit your sodium intake to no more than 2, milligrams daily. But the American Heart Association recommends that you aim to keep your sodium intake to less than 1, milligrams daily to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.
Prepackaged meals at the grocery store are commonly frozen for preservation and convenience. Frozen meals can contain anywhere to 1, milligrams of sodium, reports registered dietitian Karen Collins in a NBC News article. Indeed, a typical frozen meal consisting of meat loaf and mashed potatoes contains 1, milligrams of sodium, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest. Non-frozen prepackaged meals can contain excess sodium, as well. A a children's ham and cheese prepackaged lunch meal can contain more than milligrams of sodium, according to the CFSPI.
Not all high sodium offenders are in a full meal form. Your body needs a small amount of sodium to work properly, but too much sodium can be bad for your health. Diets higher in sodium are associated with an increased risk of developing high blood pressure , which is a major cause of stroke and heart disease. The food supply contains too much sodium and Americans who want to consume less sodium can have a difficult time doing so.
That is why the U. Food and Drug Administration is working with the food industry to make reasonable reductions in sodium across a wide variety of foods. Even though sodium may already be in many packaged foods when you purchase them, you can lower your daily sodium intake by using the Nutrition Facts label. But remember, the sodium content can vary significantly between similar types of foods. Table salt also known by its chemical name, sodium chloride is a crystal-like compound that is abundant in nature.
Sodium is a mineral, and one of the chemical elements found in salt. These things can be bad for you in large amounts. Learn more here. Snacks can be an important part of a nutritious eating plan if the foods you choose contribute to a well-balanced diet.
Find healthy snack ideas here. Trying to lower your cholesterol? Use these recipe modifications and substitutions to significantly lower the cholesterol and fat content of standard meals. Patient Education. Low Sodium Diet A main source of sodium is table salt. Continue reading General Guidelines for Cutting Down on Salt Eliminate salty foods from your diet and reduce the amount of salt used in cooking.
Sea salt is no better than regular salt. Choose low sodium foods. Many salt-free or reduced salt products are available. When reading food labels, low sodium is defined as mg of sodium per serving. Salt substitutes are sometimes made from potassium, so read the label. If you are on a low potassium diet, then check with your doctor before using those salt substitutes. Be creative and season your foods with spices, herbs, lemon, garlic, ginger, vinegar and pepper.
Remove the salt shaker from the table.
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