Salt or sodium, as it is referred to on food nutrition labels, is consumed daily by every one of us. But, do we consume too much? Here is a rundown of what you should know about salt.

Well let’s start with the terminology. Sodium is actually an essential mineral that aids with daily bodily functions by helping them to perform correctly. Sodium aids our bodies in many ways: maintain normal blood pressure, balance of fluids in and out of cells, nerve impulses, and muscle and heart relaxation. Salt is actually sodium chloride (the chemical name) and is 40% sodium and 60% chloride. Some of the uses of salt/sodium are food preservation, stabilizing the food product and can also aid in controlling fermentation of the food or aiding in maintaining the shape of the food product. Let’s not leave out the fact that SOME salts also have iodine added to them to aid in the prevention of iodine deficiency. Iodine helps with our thyroid function and is also important for fetal and infant development.

We consume large amounts of salt/sodium in our foods because we desire the flavor and add either in the cooking process or at the table or both. Additionally it can occur naturally in the food or was added to preserve the food item. American dietary guidelines in 2010 stated the general population should not consume more than 2300 milligrams of sodium per day. Also, people of certain races, those diagnosed with high blood pressure and in general middle-aged or older adults are urged to monitor their intake and limit the amount to 1500 milligrams per day.(CDC.org) Taking the time to understand a food label can help guide your daily intake of sodium. The following label displays a sodium content of 33% of the recommended daily value (% Daily Value or %DV)

This is all best explained in this excerpt from the article, “HOLD the Salt Please!”

An easy way to tell if a food is high in sodium is to look at the %DV (Percent Daily Value). The % DV tells you what portion of the daily recommended amount of sodium will be consumed in one serving of that particular food item. For example, if the %DV of a food serving is 5% or less, then the item is low in sodium. If %DV is 20% or more, then the item is high in sodium. Another way to tell is if a food is high in sodium is to look at the mg of sodium per serving. More than 460mg per serving is considered high, while 115mg or less is considered low. Also looking for key words such as “no salt added” and “low sodium” is helpful, but sometimes confusing.

I encourage everyone to stop and look at the nutrition labels of the foods you purchase and be aware of the sodium content. Being aware of your dietary intake of sodium can lead to a healthier outcome for you in the future.

References

CDC.gov

http://www.toobusytodietbook.com/hold-salt-please/

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