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Sodium: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
by Kathryn Schleich
If sodium is so bad for us, what exactly does it do? While too much sodium can lead to a number of serious health problems, in the right amounts sodium serves an important purpose. So with sodium intake, there is the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Sodium does a number of good things for the human body, It regulates fluid volume, and also regulates electrolytes imbalances. regulates electrolyte imbalances. Additionally, sodium helps transmit nerve impulses and signals, while helping with muscle contraction and relaxation.
But then there is the bad and ugly side of sodium. Too much sodium causes the retention of body fluids, an increase in blood pressure due to pressure inside the artery walls. Worse yet, too much sodium leads to stress on both the heart and kidneys. And there is always the issue of high blood pressure. Approximately 30% of America’s population is considered to have sodium sensitive blood pressure.
How much sodium do we need exactly? Not as much as you might think, and not nearly as much as the average American ingests. To keep the body running smoothly, the minimum about of sodium needed daily is 500-600 milligrams a day or about ¼ teaspoon of salt. Most Americans get far more than that – 4,000-6,000 milligrams per day. For healthy adults, the Nutrition Facts Panel bases its amounts of sodium on the recommendations of 2,000 milligrams per day or about one teaspoon.
Given that our sodium intake is generally way too high, where does all this sodium generally come from?
• About 75% comes from processed foods.
• About 15% comes from table salt.
• About 10% is naturally occurring.For this “Rule of Thumb” of 2,000 mg of sodium a day, sodium acts as a sponge soaking up the fluids in our bodies. However, many foods (such as microwave dinners for example) exceed 350, 425, 480, or 520 milligrams of sodium per serving and are considered very high sources of sodium. You may not even realize this, but “salty” is an acquired taste. When people gradually cut back and learn to have less salt in their food choices, the desire for a more salty taste declines too. The less salt we consume, the less we will want.
Where can I find the amount of sodium contained in food? Check the ingredients on the food labels, as this is where you will find clues for the amount and type of sodium in a particular food. If you see Na, salt, sodium, or soda in a name, that is a clue for sodium. Examples would be: baking soda, NaCI, and Monosodium Glutamate. Others to look for include: brine, soy, teriyaki, cured, cornered, pickled, and smoked.
Why is too much sodium in our diets so dangerous? In a report published in the New England Journal of Medicine, a reduction in sodium leads to a reduction in heart attacks, heart disease, and strokes by as much as reductions in smoking, obesity, and cholesterol levels do.
According to the study, if Americans consumed a half a teaspoon less of salt each day, there would be 60,000 to 120,000 fewer cases of coronary heart disease each year; 54,000 to 99,000 fewer heart attacks; 32,000 to 66,000 fewer strokes; and 44,000 to 92,000 fewer deaths. The study was conducted by researchers on both coasts at the University California, San Francisco; Stanford University Medical Center; and the Columbia University Medical Center in New York.
For those who have suffered a heart attack or stroke, or are battling heart disease, sodium intake is not something to be ignored. In fact, it is also one of the easiest and best things you can do to improve your health.
An avid believer in exercise and healthy eating, Kathryn Schleich experienced a serious heart attack in 2009 at the age of 51. Through that experience she has made it her mission to educate heart attack and stroke survivors, suffers of angina, and those wishing to maintain or lose weight. You may contact her at: kathrynschlei777@yahoo.com
Kathryn Schleich © 2010
10220 Country Club Curve
Woodbury, MN 55129
kathrynschlei777@yahoo.com
