What is sodium?
It is an essential mineral for the body as it helps maintain normal blood pressure, control body fluid balance, transmit nerve signals as well as support muscle function.
Sodium Names:
Sodium is written by other names such as: salt, sodium benzoate, mono- or di-sodium glutamate, sodium nitrate.
Sources of sodium in food:
Sodium is found naturally in some types of foods such as vegetables, dairy products, meat and in canned, processed, fast-cooked foods, and through table salt, sea salt, and Himalayan salt.
Amount of sodium in table salt:
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt = 575 mg of sodium
- 1 teaspoon of salt = 2,300 mg of sodium
The daily requirement of sodium:
The recommended amount is between (1500 to 2000) mg per day.
Amount of sodium in table salt
- When buying food products, it is preferable to make sure that the product does not exceed 300 mg of sodium per 100 g.
- If the (daily value %) DV%, which is the daily value that you can eat in percentage terms, is %5 or less, then it is low in salt, but if the percentage is %20 or more, then the product is high in salt.
- It is preferable to reduce canned and smoked meats such as sausage, turkey, and hot dogs.
- It is advised to stay away as much as possible from high-sodium cheeses such as, American cheese, Parmesan, and cheddar, and replace them with low-sodium ones such as fresh mozzarella, Swiss cheese, goat cheese, and cream cheese.
- It is recommended to avoid salty snacks such as chips, popcorn, biscuits, nuts and eat unsalted types.
- It is preferable to reduce fast-cooked foods such as rice, vermicelli, potatoes, and cereals because they contain high amounts of salt.
- It is recommended to reduce products containing monosodium glutamate and symbolized by the symbol MSG or Monosodium Glutamate or E621. They are considered flavor enhancers as an alternative to salt and are usually added to restaurant foods, canned vegetables, cold meats, sauces and soups. The proportion of sodium in them is equivalent to one-third of the amount of sodium found in table salt.
- It is preferable not to eat too much fast food and restaurant meals due to their high sodium content.
In Food preparation
- Limit the choice of seasonings and salty spices such as soy sauce, ketchup, chicken broth cubes, and replace them with lemon, garlic, vinegar, mint, black pepper, curry and others as alternatives.
- Canned foods contain high amounts of salt, such as tuna, olives, beans, pickles, corn, so it is preferable to filter them from water or oil, wash them well, and then eat them.
- Cooking food by grilling, roasting, or steaming to extract the natural flavor of the food (to reduce the need to add salt).
- Replacing sodium salt with potassium salt or adding potassium-containing foods such as potatoes, tomatoes, bananas, as potassium helps to reduce the effects of sodium. The more potassium a person eats, the more sodium is lost through urine and thus helps lower blood pressure.
Healthy diet for hypertensive patients
- Follow the DASH / or Mediterranean diet through a nutritionist, which helps to reduce high blood pressure and lower bad cholesterol. These diets are based on an abundance amount of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy, fish, nuts, legumes, and unsaturated fats such as olive oil and avocado.
- Make sure to drink no less than two liters of water, or as determined by a Dietitian , according to your health condition.
- The amount of sodium in bottled water is negligible, no matter how it differs from one company to another. That is, it does not raise the pressure level.*
- Doing exercise for half an hour a day, at least 3 times a week.
