Please Pass Me The Salt!

Research has clearly shown that consuming too much salt can raise blood pressure, which in turn increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.

An introduction... 
Salt or more specifically sodium (Na), a constituent of salt is essential for normal body function, as it helps with
•    Maintaining hydration
•    maintaining acid-base balance
•    conducting nerve impulses
•    contraction of muscles in the body
High intake of salt is associated with hypertension and edema and it is also known to increase calcium excretion and overtime may lead to osteoporosis.
Eating too little salt can however lead to ‘hyponatremia. ‘
Read on for more information on this ‘magical potion’ that can make or break a recipe!

Sodium:
Sodium is an absolutely necessary mineral for the human body. Without it, nerves and muscles would cease to function the absorption of major nutrients would be impaired, and the body would be able to maintain adequate water and mineral balance. Many people with hypertension history are sodium sensitive, meaning their blood pressure gets easily affected even with the slightest increase in sodium consumption increases after they consume excessive amount sodium and decreases after they reduce their sodium intake, so they are advised to take sodium restricted diet which is usually limits sodium consumption-2 g/d (1/2 tsp /day)

Sources of sodium
Though sodium is regular part of our food .It is found naturally in meats, nuts, grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy products. Most common sources of sodium are table salt, processed food, and drugs.

Requirement of sodium:
Na is normally recycled in the body and it’s only necessary to eat enough sodium to replace our daily losses as it is lost by the body through perspiration and some bodily secretions.

FYI - 1 tsp = 2300mg

Sodium Content of some common foods
Orange juice-1 cup – 5mg
Grape juice- 1 cup-   8mg
Cheddar cheese 1 oz – 186 mg
Cream- 1 oz - 84mg
Skim milk- 1cup- 126mg
Whole Milk   -1cup – 120mg
Eggs- whole (boiled)-59gm
Sardines canned-3 oz – 552mg
Banana served 1- 2mg
Strawberries-1cup -2 mg
Cherries- raw 1 cup – 2 mg
Oatmeal – 3/4 cup – 1mg
Popcorn with oil and salt – 1cup  400 mg ++
Potato chips- 10 pcs – 200 mg
Cookies – Brown, iced frozen -1 69mg
Sauerkraut, 1 Cup - 1560 mg
Tomato sauce, 1 Cup -1284 mg
Baked beans, 1 Cup -1114 mg
Ready soups, 1 cup -1000 mg [On an average]
Cheeseburger, 1 No.  - 1051 mg
Carbonated beverage, 1 can  - 100 mg

Low sodium alternatives
Garlic. pepper, lemon and other spices, fresh raw vegetables, home made soup,  shredded wheat, puffed rice, oatmeal. nuts and raisins, seeds

By. Dietitians,
NutritionVista.com

Introduction By Meenakshi Hejmadi MS, RD

Select a nutrition care package to contact our team of nutritionists and get help reducing the amount of sodium you consume in your diet as well as with replacing high sodium foods with healthier options.

User Comments Submit Comment Sunil writes: very informative article ..gets you thinking. Thank you Nutrition Vista team Added on 21 December, 2009