Foods High in Sodium

Nicks J Feb 9, 2019 Tap to Read ➤

Basically, canned and processed foods such as potato chips are loaded with sodium, and hence, excess consumption of such foods can be detrimental to health.

Something Important

Frequently eating foods high in sodium compromises health as it eventually triggers the onset of various chronic conditions.

The salt that we use everyday as a flavor enhancer is a primary source of sodium. Just 1 teaspoon of salt carries around 2300 mg of sodium. It is said that salty foods are lip smacking but consuming them too often can lead to some serious health issues in the long run.

The most common being high blood pressure (HBP) and heart problems. Considering the health risks linked with excess salt intake, one needs to monitor the intake of foods high in sodium. The daily recommended intake of sodium varies from 1500 - 2300mg. However, people with high blood pressure should ensure that their daily sodium intake doesn't exceed 1500mg.

High-Sodium Foods

Take-Away Foods

With hectic schedules and long drawn working hours, people prefer to eat take-away foods. Convenience and easy accessibility is the reason often cited behind the increasing popularity of these fast foods. However, the dark side of these take-away foods is their excess sodium content.

A few such foods are: Fried or smoked fish Hamburgers Pizza Chicken nuggets Meat pie

Pastries Sausage roll Cakes Noodles Breakfast cereals Bacon sandwiches Tortilla sandwiches

Snack Foods

Almonds are considered to be ideal for a quick snack, but many opt for packaged items when it comes to snacking between meals.

One may enjoy having these processed foods, but unfortunately they are nutritionally void, and moreover, contain high levels of sodium. Chips Popcorn French fries Pretzels (salted cracker)

Cheese

Cheese, an integral part of American diet, contains astoundingly high amount of sodium. It's alarmingly salty, this can be gauged from the fact that a thin slice of cheese has approximately 160 mg of sodium.

We often use cheese generously in an attempt to improve our calcium intake. But at what cost? So, one should have cheese sparingly, especially those advised to reduce sodium intake.

Beverages

As aforementioned, sodium helps to increase the longevity of a product. No wonder, chocolate milk available in Tetra packs contains a great deal of sodium. Iced coffee, better known as cold coffee, sold in bottles also contains a significant amount of sodium.

Bread

Brown as well as white bread is high in sodium. For instance, 1 slice of white bread delivers around 140 mg of sodium. So, if you are worried about your sodium intake, limiting consumption of breads is essential.

Condiments

Condiments do a great job of enhancing the taste of any food. So, if you find a bowl of cooked broccoli quite boring due to its taste, all you need to do is add a suitable condiment to impart an aesthetically pleasing taste. However, this flavor enhancing effect that condiments provide is because of their high sodium content.

So, the next time you decide to use condiments, make sure to use it wisely. They are mentioned here: Salad dressings Ketchup Sauces Mustard Dips

Packaged or Canned Foods

Processed and packed food products are known to be high in sodium. This is because salt is an important food preservative, hence, it is added in excess to restrict bacterial growth. So, when buying packed foods, you need to read the food labels that give an idea about the overall sodium content.

Following are the processed foods that contain a high amount of sodium: Luncheon or Cured meat Canned vegetables Powdered Soups Pickled Products

Natural Salt Substitutes

Why depend on salt when there are natural alternatives for enhancing taste. People who are advised to follow a low sodium diet can now easily curb their sodium intake by choosing natural salt substitutes.

So, if you want your meals to taste delicious, no need to use the salt shaker, instead go for natural substitutes given here: Fresh squeezed lemon juice Garlic powder Onion powder Lime juice