Wellness Tuesday: How do I figure out sodium?

Last week, we began to look at what sodium is. However, there is so much we still don’t know about the substance used to increase the taste of food.

So, let’s continue learning more about this substance.

How much sodium do I need?

High blood pressure is another symptom of too much sodium

High blood pressure is another symptom of too much sodium

According to GBHealthWatch.com the normal blood sodium range is 3.10mg-3.34mg.  We should not ingest more than 2,300 mg per day.  This is the equivalent of 1 tsp of table salt.

Sodium has multiple uses including curing meat, baking, thickening, retaining moisture, enhancing flavor and as a preservative.

FDA.gov says, “Surprisingly, some foods that don’t taste salty can still be high in sodium, which is why using taste alone is not an accurate way to judge a food’s sodium content. For example, while some foods that are high in sodium (like pickles and soy sauce) taste salty, there are also many foods (like cereals and pastries) that contain sodium but don’t taste salty. Also, some foods that you may eat several times a day (such as breads) can add up to a lot of sodium over the course of a day, even though an individual serving may not be high in sodium.”

Higher levels of sodium are associated with

  • High blood pressure
  • Hypertension
  • Diabetes
  • Hormonal imbalances

How has sodium affected your health?

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