Sodium intake

tomsarno

I eat healthy, but when I log my food the sodium is always over. I try to take in a lot of protein during the day but chicken, turkey and tuna combined with canned beans put me over. I never add salt to my food. Is the recommended daily allowance set too low? How bad is the extra sodium if I drink lots of water and stay active?

jrose1982

Sodium intake is an issue if you have high blood pressure. I think the recommendations are 2300 mg/day for healthy people and 1500 mg/day for those with hypertension.

I'm not sure how much it matters if you don't have hypertension.

But you can reduce your sodium intake by reducing your processed foods. Canned beans are packed with a lot of salt. I've heard you can reduce the salt by rinsing the beans (I don't know by how much though). You can also buy dry beans and soak them yourself to avoid the added salt altogether.

You mention chicken, turkey and tuna... are they canned? Sliced and sold in a package? Both involve adding a lot of salt. Try roasting a chicken yourself (it's very easy if you have a crockpot) and use that meat instead of buying packaged chicken. You can also switch to buying chicken breasts, cook them and slice them up. Instead of buying sliced turkey, you can buy a frozen turkey breast, roast it, and slice it yourself. I have not suggestions for improving your tuna. It's much cheaper by the can than getting it frozen. Maybe mix it up with some frozen salmon or other fish that is available locally, and just eat tuna less often.

One trick I use when I have trouble reducing one particular type of food: Consider the 7-day average. This allows for you to go over your limit on some days, so long as you are far enough under your limit on the other days for the 7-day average to be under your goal. So, you can have processed foods on maybe 3 days a week, and then focus on prepping all your own food on the other 4.

jacksonpt

Sodium is rarely a problem for people who don't have medical/health issues, and most people are fine consuming far more of it than whatever the current recommended number is.

Athletes, and people who sweat a lot in general, actually benefit from higher sodium intake.

MsHarryWinston

I had highish blood pressure when I was in my early 20s so I watched my sodium. No meds needed if I just watched my intake. My blood pressure has been fine for a while now but I'm so in the habit of not using extra salt that I never stopped. And now tracking with MFP I try to stay under sodium as often as possible. Prepackaged foods are insane with sodium. Pasta sauce? OMG! For me it's more, it happened once so let's just er on the site of caution.

glassyo

My blood pressure is fine but I still watch my sodium. I'm still not sure if my blood pressure is ok *because* I watch my sodium or I don't need to because my blood pressure is ok.

There are some good ideas on reducing sodium in here already. I'll only add that, if it's canned tuna, they sell low sodium varieties. I would just really do more label reading when it comes to buying food.

SueInAz

It used to be 2300 mg for healthy adults and 1500 for those with high blood pressure or heart disease. However, as of 2012, the American Heart Association now recommends 1500 mg of sodium for everyone. Their research apparently indicates that over time, higher amounts eventually lead to high blood pressure for almost everyone.

So it really depends on you. Me? I've been trying to cut mine back. MFP has helped me to pinpoint the foods that are the worst offenders. The ones I've found are chicken that's been injected with a salt and flavor solution, cottage cheese, canned soups and deli meat.

segacs

Guidelines vary by country. Health Canada recommends a minimum of 1500 and a maximum of 2300mg for healthy adults.

But, the best thing for that is to go check it out with your doctor. He or she can tell you if you have a medical reason to restrict sodium intake.

For what it's worth, I rarely even come close to that much sodium unless I'm eating fast food. When I cook at home, my meals end up with very little sodium -- usually a little bit if I add pre-made marinades or soy sauces to my protein, is all.

jgnatca

Blame the beans; check the percentage daily on the nutrition label. Home-made baked beans are easy to make, easy to batch, easy to keep. And you can control the salt content.
http://realhousemoms.com/homemade-baked-beans/
I add flavour in the absence of salt with garlic, onion, pepper, mustard, and strong-tasting vegetables like parsnip.

Tigg_er

SueInAz wrote: »

It used to be 2300 mg for healthy adults and 1500 for those with high blood pressure or heart disease. However, as of 2012, the American Heart Association now recommends 1500 mg of sodium for everyone. Their research apparently indicates that over time, higher amounts eventually lead to high blood pressure for almost everyone.

So it really depends on you. Me? I've been trying to cut mine back. MFP has helped me to pinpoint the foods that are the worst offenders. The ones I've found are chicken that's been injected with a salt and flavor solution, cottage cheese, canned soups and deli meat.

Yes this makes me wonder if I would have paid closer attention to it during my younger years, if I would still be having the problem with it that I have now. Cause I didn't used to but now I do.

SueInAz

jgnatca wrote: »

Blame the beans; check the percentage daily on the nutrition label. Home-made baked beans are easy to make, easy to batch, easy to keep. And you can control the salt content.
http://realhousemoms.com/homemade-baked-beans/
I add flavour in the absence of salt with garlic, onion, pepper, mustard, and strong-tasting vegetables like parsnip.

Yes, most canned stuff is pretty sodium heavy. Another option is the low sodium versions. Not always as low as it could be but better than the regular version.

Kalikel

jacksonpt wrote: »

Sodium is rarely a problem for people who don't have medical/health issues, and most people are fine consuming far more of it than whatever the current recommended number is.

Athletes, and people who sweat a lot in general, actually benefit from higher sodium intake.

When you're young, it's easy to ignore the fact that you could be doing things to your body that will bite you in the asp when you're in your 50s, 60s, and up.

The MFP limit is still 2300, but that will come down eventually. Most doctors and just about all cardiologists are now advising the average person to limit sodium to no more than 1500.

This idea that everyone should wait until they have a sodium-related cardiovascular problem and THEN start watching their sodium...it's not the best idea.

Most of us are taking in as much as ten times the amount we need. And it's hurting us.

Torontonius

General rule if you are trying to cut sodium is "if it comes in a box or a can, don't eat it". Most processed foods are loaded with sodium, as are foods prepared in restaurants.

As with anything, moderation.

getalife9353

As for the recommended sodium levels... from the Dietary Guidelines for American 2010:

Because a Recommended Dietary Allowance for sodium could not be determined, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) set Adequate Intake (AI) levels for this nutrient. The AI is the recommended daily average intake level of a nutrient, and usual intakes at or above the AI have a low probability of inadequacy. The sodium AI is based on the amount that is needed to meet the sodium needs of healthy and moderately active individuals. It covers sodium sweat losses in unacclimatized individuals who are exposed to high temperatures or who become physically active, and ensures that recommended intake levels for other nutrients can be met. The sodium AI for individuals ages 9 to 50 years is 1,500 mg per day.

For adolescents and adults of all ages (14 years and older), the IOM set the Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) at 2,300 mg per day. The UL is the highest daily nutrient intake level that is likely to pose no risk of adverse health effects (e.g., for sodium, increased blood pressure) to almost all individuals in the general population.

KeepTheFaith9

If I had to stay around 2,300 mg of sodium I'd probably have to cut out my turkey and chicken breast from the deli, any type of soup from a can (which I use sometimes at work), many salad dressings, many nuts, etc, etc. I know it's possible but there is a tradeoff - I guess monitoring HBP, sodium levels in your bloodwork, and willingness to deal with water retention are the key considerations. For me sodium is the lesser of many other evils.

Sweetvirgo63

When I was at the doctor's this morning for my annual check-up [I'm in Canada], the notice on the wall said that if you're over 51, you're supposed to limit your sodium intake to 1,300 mg a day. We shared a laugh on it. It's difficult enough to keep it around the old 1,500 mg a day. Processed foods, fast foods, restaurant foods are the worst.

I strive to keep it at 1,500 mg to make it easier on my kidneys since they were permanently damaged in a car wreck and the only way I achieve that is when I eat breakfast at home and eat only my own cooking as I mostly use salt-spices or low-sodium options.