Sodium Requirements and Dietary Sources

Sodium is a vital part of a healthy diet, though many people eat far more than the recommended amount each day. While salt is a major source of sodium, many processed foods contain added sodium, either as a preservative or flavor enhancer. In order to reduce your sodium intake, it's important to know what to look for in the foods you eat.

Benefits

Sodium is a major mineral found in the fluid surrounding the cells in your body. Sodium and potassium work together to regulate blood pressure and fluid volume. Sodium also helps maintain pH balance and your muscles and nervous system also need sodium to function properly.

Daily Adequate Intakes

The National Academies of Sciences's Institute of Medicine (IOM) sets the recommended dietary intakes of all nutrients, including sodium. The daily adequate intake (DAI) of sodium is based on the amount needed by an average person who is in good health. There are differences by age, but not by sex.

Sources

The most obvious source of sodium is salt, which is half sodium and half chloride. From cooking to the salt on the table, it is often introduced directly to food to enhance flavor. Kosher and sea salts are no healthier than regular table salt, either.

The American Heart Association says that each of these salts contains around 40 percent sodium per weight.

However, a food does not have to taste salty to be high in sodium. Sodium is naturally found in tiny amounts in most foods. Dairy products, beets, and celery are all natural sources of sodium.

Processed foods usually contain the largest mount of sodium is in the form of artificial preservatives and flavor enhancers. Restaurant foods are also often high in sodium.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the top sources of sodium in the American diet are:

• Bread and rolls

• Pizza

• Sandwiches

• Cold cuts and cured meats

• Soups

• Burritos and tacos

• Savory snacks (chips, popcorn, pretzels, crackers)

• Chicken

• Cheese

• Eggs and omelets

Sodium Deficiency

Sodium deficiency is rare because the average diet contains about double the recommended levels. The IOM suggests getting about 1,500 milligrams per day, which is about 1/4 teaspoon. You can easily get by with about 500 milligrams per day (1/10 teaspoon). The typical Western diet contains around 3,000 to 5,000 milligrams. While that may be less than 1 teaspoon, it's still a lot of sodium to consume every day.

When a sodium deficiency does occur, it's usually caused by profuse sweating combined with massive water intake in a short time. It does not happen by simply avoiding foods with sodium. This condition, called hyponatremia, is life-threatening and requires immediate medical care.

The Institute of Medicine recommends getting between 1,500 to less than 2,400 mg. of sodium per day.

Too Much Sodium

The IOM suggests a daily intake no higher than 2,400 milligrams per day, but it's best to aim for about 1,500 milligrams each day. The Nutrition Facts labels on packaged foods must state how much sodium is in each serving. In the ingredients list, you can also look for words that contain some form of "salt," "sodium," or "brine."

A diet that is too high in sodium puts you at risk for high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. It may cause the body to retain too much fluid and can increase calcium loss from your bones. 

Limiting Sodium

The best way to lower your sodium intake is to eat more fresh foods and fewer processed foods. Even seemingly harmless things like salad dressings and condiments can be high in sodium.

In addition, you can use salt substitutes that are made with potassium instead of sodium. Season your foods with herbs and spices, but watch out for seasoning blends that may be high in salt and sodium. It's also a good idea to remove the salt shaker from your dinner table.

Shop for foods that are lower in sodium, but watch out for the label claims. Some of these can be misleading:

Sodium-Free: Less than 5 milligrams of sodium per serving and contains no sodium chloride

Very Low Sodium: 35 milligrams of sodium or less per serving

Low Sodium: 140 milligrams of sodium or less per serving

Reduced (or Less) Sodium: At least 25 percent less sodium per serving than the usual sodium level

Light in Sodium: The normal sodium level is reduced by at least 50 percent per serving

The last two claims can be tricky because they're often applied to food that is already high in sodium. For example, a tablespoon of regular soy sauce has over 800 milligrams of sodium and a "reduced sodium" soy can still have about 400 milligrams of sodium. That is almost one-third of the daily recommendation, so it's really not a low-sodium food.

Conclusion:

Since most diets are too high in sodium, it's important to pay attention to how much salt and food additives made with sodium are in the foods you eat. It's also a good idea to speak with your doctor if you have any concerns about sodium intake and your health.

Sources:

https://www.verywellfit.com/sodium-requirements-and-dietary-sources