In any diet plan, you should do more than simply count calories. Sodium intake is another nutrient you should closely calculate in your diet. Too much sodium can make an otherwise healthy diet a dangerous one.
What is Sodium?
Sodium is an essential nutrient for the body and everyone needs a certain amount of sodium in order to function properly. The nutrient helps to maintain the right balance of bodily fluids, aids in the transmission of nerve impulses and influences the ways muscles relax and contract.
Dangers of Excessive Sodium
Excessive amounts of sodium, though, can eventually be harmful to the body. Your kidneys are responsible for regulating the amount of sodium in your body by filtering excess sodium into your urine. If your kidney cannot get rid of enough of the sodium, it accumulates in the blood and increases the volume of your blood. This makes your heart work harder and increases pressure in your arteries, leading to various problems.
For this reason, the National Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine suggests that adults consume an amount of sodium that does not exceed 1500 mg to 2400 mg each day. Conditions such as high blood pressure, kidney disease and diabetes make you more susceptible to the affects of sodium on the blood. If you suffer from one of those conditions, you should make a concerted effort to limit sodium in your diet.
Sources of Sodium
Avoiding sodium does not solely mean that you should stop putting salt on foods. In fact, the vast majority of sodium intake comes from pre-processed foods. Checking labels will help you to avoid consuming excessive amounts of sodium.
Sodium is found naturally in meat, poultry, dairy products and vegetables, so if you try to eat more fresh foods and less processed foods, you will get the right amount of sodium without potentially causing long-term damage to your health. Low-sodium alternatives exist for many high-sodium foods so make sure to shop around. Instead of putting salt on your food, there are plenty of herbs and spices that enhance the taste without the health risks.