Sodium is a mineral that is needed to keep our bodies functioning well, and it is naturally occurring in many foods. Sodium is a major component (40%) of table salt and sea salt that is not only used to flavor foods, but also is used to help preserve foods. Because there is a lot of salt in processed foods, convenience foods, and restaurant foods, most Americans consume much more than the recommended amount of sodium each day. The recommended amount is 2300 mg of sodium per day for healthy individuals, which is the amount found in 1 teaspoon of salt. For people with high blood pressure, heart disease, and other health problems, the recommended intake of sodium is even lower. Yet, over 90% of Americans over the age of 2 consume more than 3400 mg of sodium each day. Chronic high sodium intake can lead to serious health problems by damaging the arteries, heart, kidneys, and brain.
Your sodium intake may be too high if:
You often feel very thirsty or have a dry mouth. Eating too much salt makes you thirsty because your body needs more fluid to flush out the excess salt you eat.
You eat a lot of processed foods. If you eat convenience foods such as canned soups, boxed or frozen meals or sides, cured or processed meats, and fast food, including pizza, you are likely eating way too much salt.
You have high blood pressure. Too much salt is one cause of high blood pressure.
You have swelling in your feet, legs, hands, or face. Too much salt can disrupt the delicate fluid balance in your body.
You have frequent headaches. Researchers at Johns Hopkins have found that people who eat a high sodium diet experience more tension headaches.
You have kidney stones. A high sodium diet can trigger kidney stones because it increases the calcium in your urine, promoting stone formation. If you are prone to kidney stones, a low salt diet may help.
To lower your sodium intake, reading the labels on foods and making lower sodium food choices is a great place to start. Also, make sure you taste your food before getting out the salt shaker to prevent adding unnecessary sodium to your diet.