What's so bad about sodium?

2112540

I know it must have some bad effects on the body because it seems that everyone watches it these days... I'm over almost everyday and I don't feel like I even eat very many processed foods! Anyone have any info for me?!

ak_in_ak

it makes you retain water and it raises your blood pressure. Things like lunch meat and soups have a ton of salt in them.

Rae6503

It definitely not good but yeah, I don't worry about it much.

MrCake

IMO sodium is a bit misunderstood. People seem to avoid sodium at all cost and buy low-sodium foods as it if were the only option. The thing is that the body actually needs sodium to function correctly, specially when exercising regularly. Just recently read an article that focused on sodium and these two quotes seemed to clear many things out.

"Normal individuals can excrete 30 grams a day"

"Studies in Canada at McGill and McMaster Universities have concluded that unless one has a specific and serious condition that would preclude him from taking in salt, then salt intake will produce no negative health problems, and could actually be health promoting. As a matter of fact, only 10% of hypertension cases have a known cause, and in almost all of these cases, the cause was either genetic or stress related."

Just make sure you are drinking enough water during the day to ensure your body is able to regulate sodium levels.

liftingbro

You have to OD pretty good on Sodium for it to be harmful unless you have a health condition like high blood pressure or something like that.

It can make your BP go up a little if you go way over but it will clear within a day and isn't going to be more than a few points tops. The biggest thing for people losing weight is the extra water you'll retain. However, if you keep up on your water intake most of it should be flushed out.

MrsCon40

Due to ridiculously low blood pressure my doctor encouraged me to add more in to my diet.

I used to have a real aversion to the taste and have had to work really hard to add more salt in to my diet - so on the days I go over, I'm kind of happy!

ninerbuff

I know it must have some bad effects on the body because it seems that everyone watches it these days... I'm over almost everyday and I don't feel like I even eat very many processed foods! Anyone have any info for me?!

Sodium may be an issue if you take in too much and start to develop high blood pressure. Genetic predisposition usually will dictate if you're going to be susceptible to it. I'm always over, but then again I eat a lot of Asian foods that have soy sauce in it.

anubis609

I know it must have some bad effects on the body because it seems that everyone watches it these days... I'm over almost everyday and I don't feel like I even eat very many processed foods! Anyone have any info for me?!

There are sources of foods that just have trace amounts of sodium, naturally. Some natural sources of protein just seem to taste salty.

_GlaDOS_

Hmm I'm not sure what your definition of "processed food" is, but to me, it looks like you eat a lot of it.

But, I do think sodium is misunderstood, just as I think most of our "daily recommendations" are misunderstood and loosely based on science.

My personal recommendation, is to eat less meat and animal proteins. These usually have the highest amounts of sodium, especially the processed meats, like Tyson chicken products, hot dogs, and lunch meats. If you're eating animal protein at every meal, you're probably not only getting too much sodium, but also saturated fat and cholesterol (and I really wouldn't buy into the idea that any of it is "good cholesterol"). I'm not saying I'm always perfect with what I eat, certainly not. Just my personal opinion/recommendation.

fiberartist219

I have a family history with this, so that's why I avoid it. My feet swell up like marshmallows if I eat too much salty snacks or fast food. Both are loaded with extra salt. I also avoid lunch meat whenever possible.

However, if you don't have issues with retaining water or high blood pressure, don't worry about it. Eat what you want. If you do have issues with either of those, then you should watch the sodium.