Where's the sodium?

The daily recommendation for sodium is 2,300 mg, or about one teaspoon. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines recommends even less than that for some individuals, 1500 mg for those over age 51, African Americans, or those who have high blood pressure, kidney disease, or diabetes because they may be more susceptible to heart-related conditions.

A recent research article came out by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) that showed that average sodium consumption was just over 3,200 mg daily. This is almost 1,000 mg more than recommended and for some it would be twice as much sodium as they need daily.

Maybe even more surprising than that are the highest sources of sodium in the diet. Here are the categories with the percentage of sodium they contribute:

• bread and rolls (7.4%)
• cold cuts/cured meats (5.1%)
• pizza (4.9%)
• fresh and processed poultry (4.5%)
• soups (4.3%)
• sandwiches like cheeseburgers (4.0%)
• cheese (3.8%)
• pasta mixed dishes (e.g., spaghetti with meat sauce) (3.3%)
• meat mixed dishes (e.g., meat loaf with tomato sauce) (3.2%)
• savory snacks (e.g., chips and pretzels) (3.1%)

Most sodium consumed (65.2%) came from foods obtained from a store and restaurants were the source of 24.8% of the sodium consumed.

Bread may not sound like a food that we associate with sodium and a small amount of bread won't add much, but most people eat bread at three meals a day. This can make the sodium levels creep up quickly.

Think about what you normally eat over the day and how the sodium in your foods can add up. Did you eat bacon and toast for breakfast? Those are top two on the list. For lunch, did you have a cheeseburger, pizza, or cold cut sandwich with potato chips? More sodium there. For dinner, did you eat pasta with bread? Even more sodium.

For those of you who are trying to lose weight, too much sodium can interfere with those attempts.  Women who are pregnant and those who already have heart conditions also need to watch their sodium intake.

You may be wondering, what can I eat that doesn't have sodium? Or, how can I eat less sodium?

• Eat more fruits and vegetables. They are both low in calories, fat, and sodium (plus high in potassium to counteract the bad effects of sodium). Find more ways to incorporate fruits and veggies into your eating and make half your plate full of them.
• Cut back on bread. Only about 1/4 of your plate should be a starch and half of those starches should be whole grains. Try switching out bread for brown rice or another whole grain. Or just eat less of it.
• Switch out your daily cold cut sandwich and potato chips for a salad with lots of veggies and some protein. Meat and beans are good sources of protein. Even though cheese and poultry made the list above, the potassium in your veggies will help counteract some of the sodium. Make sure you load up on veggies though.
• Read labels. The sodium for all packaged foods is listed. If the %Daily Value listed next to sodium is 20% or more, that food is high in sodium so find a better choice.
• Buy less processed foods. If you look at the list above, most of those foods are processed. Buy foods that are more like their natural form. Learn to make your own versions of your favorite processed foods.
• Don't keep foods like chips and pretzels around for daily snacks. Reach for fruits and vegetables instead.

You don't have to avoid all of those foods above, but just limit them. Overindulgence of too many high-sodium foods is the problem. You are allowed to eat occasional treats, but the key word is occasional!

The CDC research article is available online as well as a summary of the article.

Source: Vital Signs: Food Categories Contributing the Most to Sodium Consumption — United States, 2007–2008. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Centers for Disease Control. February 7, 2012.