Feature Articles: Food, Fitness and Health
Decreasing sodium can decrease blood pressure
Tammy Roberts, MS, RD, LD, Nutrition and Health Education Specialist in Barton County, University of Missouri Extension
Many of us like to add salt to our food at the table to make it taste better. Food manufacturers also add salt to food as a flavor enhancer. As a result, sodium is abundant in many of the foods we eat. The problem is that sodium can contribute to high blood pressure and most of us can decrease our blood pressure by decreasing our sodium intake so it is important to know where sodium lurks in your food.
According to an American Heart Association publication, the average American consumes 2,900 to 4,300 milligrams of sodium per day. It is recommended that the average American consumes no more than 2,400 milligrams of sodium per day. (2,400 milligrams of sodium is contained in 1 teaspoon of salt) For some people the recommendation is even less.
If you read your food labels closely, you can record the amount of sodium you consume in a day. Most people consume about 75% of their sodium from processed foods such as tomato and pasta sauce, soups, canned foods, prepared mixes and frozen prepared foods. A frozen dinner can have an entire day’s worth of sodium in one meal!
Foods that you need to limit include salted snacks, fish that is canned in oil or brine like sardines or tuna, luncheon meats, canned foods and juices, cheese, seasoned salts and meat tenderizers and condiments such as ketchup, mayonnaise and salad dressing.
To help consume less than 2,400 milligrams of sodium per day, it is important to know what the language regarding sodium on the food label means. If the label states that the product is “sodium” or “salt free”, it means that there are less than five milligrams of sodium per serving in the product. If the label states “very low sodium”, it means there is 35 milligrams or less of sodium per serving. “Low sodium” means there is less than 140 milligrams of sodium per serving in the product. If the label states it has “reduced” or “less” sodium, it means the product has at least 25% less than the traditional food. “Light in sodium” means there is 50% less than a standard serving of the traditional food.
One thing that can help reduce sodium intake is a diet that is rich in a variety of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. They are naturally low in sodium. Another thing is to learn to use spices and herbs instead of salt and seasoned salt to enhance the flavor of foods.
You may think you like salt so much you could never give it up. Just remember that you were not born loving salt. We develop a taste for it. If you work at it, you can learn to desire it less. When you do, you will savor the natural flavor of the food more as your blood pressure goes down.
Last update: Tuesday, May 05, 2009
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