How to choose foods with less sodium {Healthy Living}

salt chess pieces

Photo by By Noemi Margaret (cc)

Canadians eat about 3400 mg of sodium each day. This is more than double the amount we need.

Sodium is an essential nutrient found in salt and many foods. Our bodies need a small amount of sodium to be healthy, but too much can lead to high blood pressure, a major risk factor for stroke, heart disease and kidney disease. Sodium intake has also been linked to an increased risk of osteoporosis, stomach cancer and severity of asthma.

Do you know how much sodium you and your family members need per day?

Table 1: Recommended intake for sodium
Healthy…	should aim for the Adequate Intake (AI) of	without going over the Upper Limit (UL) of
Infants 0-6 months	120 mg/day	No data
Infants 7-12 months	370 mg/day	No data
Children 1-3 years	1000 mg/day	1500 mg/day
Children 4-8 years	1200 mg/day	1900 mg/day
Teens 9-13 years	1500 mg/day	2200 mg/day
Adults 14-50 years	1500 mg/day	2300 mg/day for all remaining categories
Older adults 51-70 years	1300 mg/day
Older adults over 70 years	1200 mg/day
Pregnancy	1500 mg/day

{Table is from the Health Canada website}

When grocery shopping read the information on food packages and be cognisant of the sodium content of the foods you are purchasing:

Buy unsalted and low sodium foods whenever possible. Look for words such as “sodium free”, “low sodium”, “reduced sodium” or “no added salt” on the package.
Compare food labels. Buy products with the lowest amounts of sodium.
Look for foods that contain less than 360 mg of sodium per serving.

I find the % Daily Value (% DV) on the label to be very helpful and I use it to compare products and see if the food has a little or a lot of sodium.

Here is a good guide:

5% DV or less is a little
15% DV or more is a lot
Look for products with a sodium content of less than 15% DV.
Check the food labels often because product ingredients may change.

Know which foods are high in sodium

Most processed foods found in the grocery store are high in sodium. These include:

canned, packaged or pre-made sauces, dips, gravies, condiments and dressings
canned soups
deli and luncheon meats
frozen meals
pizza
processed cheese and cheese spreads
ready-to-eat foods (like those found at the take-out counter)
snack foods (such as chips and salted nuts)

Information contained in this post was obtained from Healthy Canadians and Health Canada.

{Disclaimer – The material provided on this site is designed for information and educational purposes only. The materials are not intended to be a self diagnostic and/or self treatment tool. I encourage you to use this information as a tool for discussing your condition and/or concerns with your health practitioner.}

Comments

xoCATox says:

September 12, 2012 at 1:40 AM

What a fantastic piece! I think a lot of people don’t realise the hidden baddies in pre-packaged or processed foods.

- Monica says:
  
  September 12, 2012 at 2:01 AM
  
  Thanks so much, I agree, it’s really quite shocking to discover how much salt is in some foods.
  
Journeysof TheZoo says:

September 12, 2012 at 1:59 AM

I like the idea of using the “DV” as an indicator for whether I can eat it or run away (or course, everything in moderation).

Thanks so much for linking up to my “I Am Canadian” Linky!

Besos, Sarah
Zookeeper at Journeys of The Zoo

- Monica says:
  
  September 12, 2012 at 2:02 AM
  
  I like that too Sarah and I’m always checking the value on each package, sometimes the sodium content can be shocking!
  
Rosey says:

September 12, 2012 at 1:52 PM

This is an informative article. I do good with salt, but my mom is just terrible!!

- Monica says:
  
  September 12, 2012 at 2:24 PM
  
  Rosey, it’s my husband who is the big offender in our home…he knows he shouldn’t but man does he love salt!
  
Sugar & Spice & All Things ? Nice says:

September 14, 2012 at 9:15 PM

What a really great article! I have recently found out that I have elevated blood pressure and have to put serious effort into reading labels and understanding what they all mean. You have made it so much easier. Thanks.