By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
According to the American Heart Association, nine out of 10 Americans consume too much sodium each day: 3,400 mg. on average, instead of the maximum 1,500 mg. recommended by the AHA.
Although the body needs some sodium to remain healthy, the AHA states that too much can cause myriad problems: enlarged heart muscle, headaches, kidney disease, osteoporosis, stroke, heart failure, high blood pressure, kidney stones and stomach cancer. In the average American’s diet, more than 14% of sodium occurs in foods naturally. About 11% is added while cooking or eating and 70% comes from processed and restaurant foods.
“Look on the label to find ‘no salt’ or ‘very low sodium,’” said Samantha Paolini, registered dietitian, clinical dietitian and diabetes educator in the division of endocrinology and diabetes at UBMD Pediatrics. “Be more wary. Just because it says “lower sodium’ or ‘reduced sodium’ doesn’t mean it has little sodium.”
Menus and food labels can be tricky at times. Claims such as “reduced sodium” or “lower sodium” do not necessarily mean that a prepared food is low in sodium. It’s just reduced from the normally high amount of sodium it ordinarily contains. The key is finding out how many milligrams of sodium the food contains and monitoring intake across the day.
Look at the Nutrition Facts label. Anything lower than 5% is fine, but Paolini said to be cautious about serving size and how many servings for anything 20% or higher.
“Should we all eat a sleeve of saltines?” she said. “No, but if we have a serving, we should not overeat on our sodium.”Mary Jo Parker, registered dietitian in private practice in Williamsville, warns clients about canned and processed, packaged foods.
“These tend to be the most common sources, along with foods eaten out,” she said. “Pickled and smoked foods are also very high in salt.”Rinsing canned beans and vegetables can help reduce the sodium. Fresh and frozen produce and dried beans contain no added sodium.
“Eating out also contributes to a higher sodium diet, as most restaurant fare is highly seasoned to enhance flavor,” Parker said. “Fast foods are often the worst culprits, but fine restaurants have been known to season heavily as well.”
Ask for no added salt when dining out and, if desired, sprinkle a small dash at the table so you can control how much is added. Ask about takeaway food at the grocery store. Many of these items are as bad as restaurant foods for sodium content.
Instead of buying salted nuts from the snack aisle, shop for nuts in the baking aisle, where they are sold unsalted.
Parker turns to herbs and spices for seasoning foods instead of salt. Justine Anna Hays, lead nutritionist for Cornell, looks for low-sodium condiments and sauces and cooks at home.
“Most prepared, fast food, or packaged meals are loaded with extra sodium or salt,” Hays said. “Cooking some or all your meals can help reduce that added sodium. Try salting food minimally or just at the end of the cooking process.”
Buying fresh or frozen vegetables that have no added sauces reduces sodium. Like Parker, she adds herbs and spices. But beware of seasoning packets, as these are often loaded with salt.
For all of sodium’s ills, a small amount of it is needed for good health. Consulting with a healthcare provider can help assess what level of sodium is right for an individual to maintain good health.