Most food sources today are extremely high in sodium and can take a real toll on your health and body. The body needs approximately 500 mg of sodium for functional purposes and to keep a natural balance of water in your system. Having to much sodium can cause health problems such as heart diseases and high blood pressure. These problems will begin to occur with a diet that consists of more then 2400 mg of sodium daily.
Some major contributors to a high sodium diet are;
- Fast foods- some fast food meals can contain over 1000 mg in just one serving, which is more then half of your recommended daily intake. Fast food may be convenient and taste good but has several negative health factors and reasons to avoid it.
- Processed foods- These are so high in sodium because salt is used as a preservative and for additional flavor. The worst processed foods are packaged meats, canned soups and canned fruits and vegetables. Not all canned foods are high in sodium, but to find them you’ll have to look and spend a little extra.
- Table salt- by adding table salt to foods while cooking or to prepaired foods can really add up. Instead of salt try adding natural herbs and spices while you’re cooking.
- Salty snacks- In just 1 ounce of regular potato chips (about a handful) there can be up to 200 mg of sodium, so when having a snack it might be a good idea to think of a healthier alternative then a grabbing a bag of chips.
Here are some healthy options for foods that are high in sodium:
- Fresh meats- Eating fresh meats will have lower amounts of sodium because they have no preservatives or artificial flavours. Fresh meats have many health benefits including: a high source of iron, protein and zinc; not to mention the taste over a t.v dinner.
- Fresh fruit and vegetables- There is a very low amount of sodium in fruits and vegetables and getting sodium from a natural source is much better for you then getting it from preservatives and artificial flavours.
- Unsalted nuts- These are a great snack to substitute for chips. They have a high source of protein and omega 3 6 9 oils. When picking up nuts i would recommend almonds and stick with 1/4 cup daily.
- Smoothies- Throwing together a quick smoothie is a great way to fill you up and you can add almost anything you want to it. Just adding milk, OJ, frozen fruit and whey protein together in the blender for a few minutes gives you a healthy meal substitute that keeps you full for hours.
Hopefully this opens your eyes to some of the dangers of sodium rich foods, try and make slow and steady changes to your diet over time and you will see the results in day to day activities and the doctors office.