Where Does Sodium Come From?
While many foods contain sodium naturally, the salt/sodium added to food during manufacturing or restaurant food contributes up to 75% of the sodium intake for most Americans (United States Department of Agriculture, Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010. Available online: https://www.fns.usda.gov/cnpp/dietary-guidelines-americans).
Table Salt (Sodium Chloride):
Table salt, composed of roughly 40% sodium and 60% chloride, is a source of sodium.
Salt is added during cooking and at the table. This includes salting meats, adding salt to sauces, and using it as a preservative in canned and processed foods.
But many people say, “I never use a salt shaker!” That does not mean they eat a low-sodium diet, because most of the salt is in processed foods and restaurant meals. Read on!
Processed and Packaged Foods:
Processed and packaged foods are often high in sodium because salt is frequently used as a preservative and flavor enhancer.
Common high-sodium processed foods include canned soups, frozen dinners, processed meats (like bacon, sausage, and deli meats), cheese, bread, snack foods (like chips and pretzels), and condiments (like ketchup and soy sauce).
Consider that regular tomato soup contains about 600 mg of sodium per cup. But if you find lower-sodium tomato soup, it contains about 380 mg per cup. If you make it yourself using no-salt-added tomatoes with onions, carrots, low-sodium broth, and herbs, it will only contain about 100 mg of sodium.
Restaurant and Fast Food Meals:
Restaurant and fast food dishes tend to be high in sodium due to the use of salt in cooking and seasoning. Many restaurants also use high-sodium ingredients in their dishes. It’s essential to be aware of these sources of sodium and read food labels to make informed choices.
Consider that a typical fast food cheeseburger contains many high-sodium items: bread, mustard, pickles, and processed cheese. One burger contains around 500 calories and 1200 mg sodium (average of most fast food places). So, it has 25% of the day’s calorie allotment for most people, with 50% of the allotment for sodium. If you made a burger at home and only added lettuce and tomato, you would consume around 300-400 mg of sodium if you left off the cheese, mustard, and pickles and replaced them with sodium-free ketchup, fresh tomatoes, fresh lettuce, and fresh onions.
See how a little know-how and effort can make a huge difference in the outcome of sodium without affecting the flavor? Reducing sodium intake can benefit overall health, especially for those with high blood pressure or other cardiovascular concerns. Cooking more meals at home, using fresh ingredients, and minimizing the consumption of highly processed foods can help control sodium intake. It will feel like you are really researching everything at first, but then you will find low-sodium options for all of your favorite foods.
