Salt in food?
Tariq_1997
Posts: 143 Member
Hi guys, i haven't posted here in a while.
So today i had a spring season soup which is a vegetables soup (maggi) and it was like 1 litre of that soup.
So i checked the nutrition facts of that soup amd it showed 35 grams carbs, 1.6 fat and protien like 3 grams.
But it didn't show the sodium so i cooked that soup and had the whole thing (1 litre).
So after i finished i checked the barcode on MFP and it was a shock cause it had 3,100 mg of soduim which should be my whole daily intake of soduim. So i dunno is that considered as alot if i am drinking more water or what?
Thanks
So today i had a spring season soup which is a vegetables soup (maggi) and it was like 1 litre of that soup.
So i checked the nutrition facts of that soup amd it showed 35 grams carbs, 1.6 fat and protien like 3 grams.
But it didn't show the sodium so i cooked that soup and had the whole thing (1 litre).
So after i finished i checked the barcode on MFP and it was a shock cause it had 3,100 mg of soduim which should be my whole daily intake of soduim. So i dunno is that considered as alot if i am drinking more water or what?
Thanks
4
Replies
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Unless you've been told to limit your sodium, you shouldn't have any problems. Drink a little extra water and if you step on the scale tomorrow, be prepared for the possibility that it will be up, but know that it doesn't reflect weight gain unless you have exceeded your calorie allotment.4
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Why are you worried about it?5
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Currently, the average American intake is 3200 mg. The Dutch just set a standard recommended max of 2400 mg and the American Heart Association recommendation is no more than 1500 mg (1300 mg if you are over 65). The AHA among others just announced they are lowering what is considered high blood pressure to anything over 130/80 and among other things they are going to work on encouraging limiting sodium consumption.
Most research leans toward keeping your blood pressure low by decreasing sodium intake but some recent research indicates the AHA recommendations may be too low for most people. The state of our knowledge about sodium intake is in flux. I aim low and am usually somewhere between the AHA recommendation and the Dutch recommendation.7 -
I think it's important to add that many factors can go Into sodium intake and health factors. I always have a sodium intake of 2300 to sometimes 5000.. I drink a lot of water and I do not have blood pressure issues.
Recommendations are to be taken with a grain of salt (no pun intended) since not everyone who doesn't fit themselves into the recommendations is going to gave issues.5 -
People worry overly much about salt in their diet. If you don’t have a medical reason to worry about it, just focus on eating a well-balanced diet and a reasonable number of calories, and you’ll be fine. Most of us could do with more fresh fruits and veggies, but don’t stress out about the occasional sodium bomb.3
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That is a lot of salt. Try not to do that too often. Unless you have a medical condition that requires that you limit your salt, you'll be fine if you don't do that every day.Tariq_1997 wrote: »Hi guys, i haven't posted here in a while.
So today i had a spring season soup which is a vegetables soup (maggi) and it was like 1 litre of that soup.
So i checked the nutrition facts of that soup amd it showed 35 grams carbs, 1.6 fat and protien like 3 grams.
But it didn't show the sodium so i cooked that soup and had the whole thing (1 litre).
So after i finished i checked the barcode on MFP and it was a shock cause it had 3,100 mg of soduim which should be my whole daily intake of soduim. So i dunno is that considered as alot if i am drinking more water or what?
Thanks7 -
That is a lot for one meal. If it's more than usual you might have some water weight gain but it's temporary. But, it's just one meal. It's nothing to worry about.1
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It is a lot for one meal.
Do you track your sodium regularly? What do you usually consume in a day? Is this really high for you?
If you usually eat lower sodium you are probably going to notice more of a difference than if this is your normal sodium consumption.2 -
Tariq_1997 wrote: »Hi guys, i haven't posted here in a while.
So today i had a spring season soup which is a vegetables soup (maggi) and it was like 1 litre of that soup.
So i checked the nutrition facts of that soup amd it showed 35 grams carbs, 1.6 fat and protien like 3 grams.
But it didn't show the sodium so i cooked that soup and had the whole thing (1 litre).
So after i finished i checked the barcode on MFP and it was a shock cause it had 3,100 mg of soduim which should be my whole daily intake of soduim. So i dunno is that considered as alot if i am drinking more water or what?
Thanks
So the sodium content was in the MFP database but not on your container? It's not necessarily correct in the db.
One serving of my Pad Se Ew has 2,629 g of sodium and is noticeably salty from the oyster sauce, fish sauce, and soy sauce. I find it hard to believe yours has more unless it tasted incredibly salty to you.
That said, I don't worry about dietary sodium and have exchanged that and sugar for fiber and iron, which are more useful for me to track.2 -
Start here for answers to your question(s): http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10615700/biochemistry-answers-for-common-weight-loss-questions-sodium-warning-long-and-nerdy/p13
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livingleanlivingclean wrote: »Why are you worried about it?
Lol cause salt isn't good for body. And it makes you gain weight if it's eaten in large amounts15 -
Tariq_1997 wrote: »livingleanlivingclean wrote: »Why are you worried about it?
Lol cause salt isn't good for body. And it makes you gain weight if it's eaten in large amounts
You need salt. I eat plenty, it doesn't make me gain fat.6 -
Salt (sodium) is essential for life. And the weight you gain from eating large amounts is water weight, which goes away in a few days. If you don't have a medical issue with sodium, you can eat reasonable amounts.
If you have a package that states the amount of sodium in a serving, you might want to read that before you eat the serving.2 -
kshama2001 wrote: »Tariq_1997 wrote: »Hi guys, i haven't posted here in a while.
So today i had a spring season soup which is a vegetables soup (maggi) and it was like 1 litre of that soup.
So i checked the nutrition facts of that soup amd it showed 35 grams carbs, 1.6 fat and protien like 3 grams.
But it didn't show the sodium so i cooked that soup and had the whole thing (1 litre).
So after i finished i checked the barcode on MFP and it was a shock cause it had 3,100 mg of soduim which should be my whole daily intake of soduim. So i dunno is that considered as alot if i am drinking more water or what?
Thanks
So the sodium content was in the MFP database but not on your container? It's not necessarily correct in the db.
One serving of my Pad Se Ew has 2,629 g of sodium and is noticeably salty from the oyster sauce, fish sauce, and soy sauce. I find it hard to believe yours has more unless it tasted incredibly salty to you.
That said, I don't worry about dietary sodium and have exchanged that and sugar for fiber and iron, which are more useful for me to track.kshama2001 wrote: »Tariq_1997 wrote: »Hi guys, i haven't posted here in a while.
So today i had a spring season soup which is a vegetables soup (maggi) and it was like 1 litre of that soup.
So i checked the nutrition facts of that soup amd it showed 35 grams carbs, 1.6 fat and protien like 3 grams.
But it didn't show the sodium so i cooked that soup and had the whole thing (1 litre).
So after i finished i checked the barcode on MFP and it was a shock cause it had 3,100 mg of soduim which should be my whole daily intake of soduim. So i dunno is that considered as alot if i am drinking more water or what?
Thanks
So the sodium content was in the MFP database but not on your container? It's not necessarily correct in the db.
One serving of my Pad Se Ew has 2,629 g of sodium and is noticeably salty from the oyster sauce, fish sauce, and soy sauce. I find it hard to believe yours has more unless it tasted incredibly salty to you.
That said, I don't worry about dietary sodium and have exchanged that and sugar for fiber and iron, which are more useful for me to track.
No actually it didn't taste salty, it was pretty good.
I scaned the barcode and showed the sodium0 -
Salt (sodium) is essential for life. And the weight you gain from eating large amounts is water weight, which goes away in a few days. If you don't have a medical issue with sodium, you can eat reasonable amounts.
If you have a package that states the amount of sodium in a serving, you might want to read that before you eat the serving.
I have no issues with salt but i usually keep my daily intake between 1500-2000 mg so i felt like this is wrong having 3100 mg that's why i asked1 -
This content has been removed.
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Tariq_1997 wrote: »livingleanlivingclean wrote: »Why are you worried about it?
Lol cause salt isn't good for body. And it makes you gain weight if it's eaten in large amounts
That isn't actually true. Salt is essential for your body but like will almost anything you can have to much so moderation is a good idea. It isn't "bad" for you.
As for the added weight salt, or any electrolyte, has to be solubilzed in water to the appropriate concentration for your body. Because of this taking in salt will cause your body to retain additional water until the total salt in your body decreases at which point the water will be removed as well. So although the statement that salt will increase your weight is technically true it is water weight and it is temporary so it has no effect on your health and is temporary.
Only reason to care about sodium is if you have chronic high blood pressure.9 -
Tariq_1997 wrote: »Salt (sodium) is essential for life. And the weight you gain from eating large amounts is water weight, which goes away in a few days. If you don't have a medical issue with sodium, you can eat reasonable amounts.
If you have a package that states the amount of sodium in a serving, you might want to read that before you eat the serving.
I have no issues with salt but i usually keep my daily intake between 1500-2000 mg so i felt like this is wrong having 3100 mg that's why i asked
It's fine and you are fine. Wouldn't worry about it at all.1 -
Population recommendations for sodium intake are based on preventing hypertension in the average person.
The idea of ignoring those recommendations because you have no history of high blood pressure is illogical. You may not have issues now; the recommendations are to guide your intake to prevent future problems.
.........
Clinically, many individuals have sodium requirements outside the general recommendation. Heart failure patients, people with kidney disfunction or on certain medications. And so on. The guidelines aren’t for those people.
The guidelines are for regular, average people.
Even if their blood pressure is currently normal.
..........
Remember they are guidelines. Not a prescription.
A high sodium day is not such a big deal. A few years of high sodium diet might be an issue.
8 -
2weeks ago I decreased my sodium intake by eliminating cold cuts (I was eating 2 sandwiches from a local place each week) and stopped adding salt to my food. Changed my macro on mfp to 1500. The difference in just a week was incredible. No more bloating! Occasionally now I'll eat something with a lot of sodium and as others have said if it is just one Meal or one day it's not a big deal. I'm glad to be eating less sodium overall. I don't miss the taste and it's having positive effects. My blood pressure is 130/80 or 120/80 which is kind of high for me. 10-15 years ago I remember it being lower. (Sodium and weight gain!)3
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Tariq_1997 wrote: »Hi guys, i haven't posted here in a while.
So today i had a spring season soup which is a vegetables soup (maggi) and it was like 1 litre of that soup.
So i checked the nutrition facts of that soup amd it showed 35 grams carbs, 1.6 fat and protien like 3 grams.
But it didn't show the sodium so i cooked that soup and had the whole thing (1 litre).
So after i finished i checked the barcode on MFP and it was a shock cause it had 3,100 mg of soduim which should be my whole daily intake of soduim. So i dunno is that considered as alot if i am drinking more water or what?
Thanks
You trust MFP over the nutritional information the maker is required to provide?1 -
It took literally seconds to find the nutritional information online...
And I bet it's also on the packaging.1 -
Population recommendations for sodium intake are based on preventing hypertension in the average person.
The idea of ignoring those recommendations because you have no history of high blood pressure is illogical. You may not have issues now; the recommendations are to guide your intake to prevent future problems.
.........
Clinically, many individuals have sodium requirements outside the general recommendation. Heart failure patients, people with kidney disfunction or on certain medications. And so on. The guidelines aren’t for those people.
The guidelines are for regular, average people.
Even if their blood pressure is currently normal.
..........
Remember they are guidelines. Not a prescription.
A high sodium day is not such a big deal. A few years of high sodium diet might be an issue.
Those guidelines are also based on sedetary people. They increase as you become more active.1 -
lucerorojo wrote: »2weeks ago I decreased my sodium intake by eliminating cold cuts (I was eating 2 sandwiches from a local place each week) and stopped adding salt to my food. Changed my macro on mfp to 1500. The difference in just a week was incredible. No more bloating! Occasionally now I'll eat something with a lot of sodium and as others have said if it is just one Meal or one day it's not a big deal. I'm glad to be eating less sodium overall. I don't miss the taste and it's having positive effects. My blood pressure is 130/80 or 120/80 which is kind of high for me. 10-15 years ago I remember it being lower. (Sodium and weight gain!)
My blood pressure used to always be fine, but the last couple of years it has been creeping up into the high 130s and high 80s. I had been eating more and more salty (& sugary) snacks and I was a few kilos over the healthy weight range.
I have lost 9kg (20 pounds) over the last 4 months and cut right down on the snacks. Got my blood pressure tested last week and it was 113/72, the lowest I've seen it in a long while. It was rewarding for me to see the impact that simple and moderate changes have made.
There's lots of high blood pressure and heart disease issues in my family history - and most of them were/are not overweight - so it's on my mind as I get older. I'm the only one in my immediate family who has not had to take medication...at least for now anyway.2 -
Thanks for posting. My parents didn't have bp problems but neither were obese or ate junk food or salt. Grandparents all had high bp so I'm hoping to avoid any medications and issues. Up until about 8 years ago I was not fat and never had health issues so now is the first time I'm really paying attention. Sugar and salt are things I need to watch as the high bp and diabetes are in the family. I had healthy active parents fortunately.
2 -
Population recommendations for sodium intake are based on preventing hypertension in the average person.
The idea of ignoring those recommendations because you have no history of high blood pressure is illogical. You may not have issues now; the recommendations are to guide your intake to prevent future problems.
.........
Clinically, many individuals have sodium requirements outside the general recommendation. Heart failure patients, people with kidney disfunction or on certain medications. And so on. The guidelines aren’t for those people.
The guidelines are for regular, average people.
Even if their blood pressure is currently normal.
..........
Remember they are guidelines. Not a prescription.
A high sodium day is not such a big deal. A few years of high sodium diet might be an issue.
High sodium increases blood pressure through recruitment of water into your blood plasma to dilute the sodium. More volume, same space, more pressure. Eat less sodium and drink more water to flush out sodium and your blood pressure goes down. Years of eating high sodium can be erased in a couple of days, there isn't a long term effect that I am aware of (if there is can you please show me evidence this is the case I'd be interested).
Plaque formation within your arteries from poor diet and health restricts the size of your vessels which effectively increases your blood pressure. This is difficult to deal with and is a more permenant effect (or it will take a lot of effort to clear up if it even can be). Once this occurs you will be hypersensitive to sodium since the diameter of your blood vessels is reduced even a "normal" amount of sodium can spike your blood pressure extremely high and a lot of sodium could potentially cause damage to you. That is why for people with high blood pressure from this sort of medical issue should avoid sodium.
If you do not have plaques and restricted blood flow and medical issues related to high blood pressure there is no reason to worry about sodium. In anything but the most extreme cases your body's regulation of sodium will take care of it before it causes a major problem. Is having high blood pressure for any reason year round over and over again good for you? No, it isn't, high blood pressure can increase risk of things like stroke as well as cause damage to your circulation system and heart over time. So yes, if you eat an extreme amount of sodium constantly you should probably cut that out...but that is true of a lot of things we don't have such a focus on.
I think its more likely there is such a focus on sodium because in developed nations, especially the United States, there is a huge issue with cardiovascular disease which can make people hyper sensitive to sodium. This sort of "avoid sodium" advice due to this just got co-opted by the general populace and the medical establishment probably thought "well, not a bad idea if everyone avoids sodium most people get to much anyways". Kind of like how there are some people out there who are legitimately allergic to gluten but now avoiding gluten is made out to be some sort of health thing for anyone. In both cases its an exaggeration of the risks associated with something on the basis of people who do get adverse effects due to medical conditions.
If you had infinite time and infinite will and could pay attention to absolutely everything all at once then sure, track your sodium and keep it in a certain range...would probably have some benefit. But a tiny benefit relative to a lot of other things you could be paying attention to with your health. For most people with limited time and no cardiovascular disease tracking their sodium and worrying about their intake of it is a total waste of time. At worst people lower their sodium to dangerously low levels because they overdo it.5 -
Aaron_K123 wrote: »Population recommendations for sodium intake are based on preventing hypertension in the average person.
The idea of ignoring those recommendations because you have no history of high blood pressure is illogical. You may not have issues now; the recommendations are to guide your intake to prevent future problems.
.........
Clinically, many individuals have sodium requirements outside the general recommendation. Heart failure patients, people with kidney disfunction or on certain medications. And so on. The guidelines aren’t for those people.
The guidelines are for regular, average people.
Even if their blood pressure is currently normal.
..........
Remember they are guidelines. Not a prescription.
A high sodium day is not such a big deal. A few years of high sodium diet might be an issue.
High sodium increases blood pressure through recruitment of water into your blood plasma to dilute the sodium. More volume, same space, more pressure. Eat less sodium and drink more water to flush out sodium and your blood pressure goes down. Years of eating high sodium can be erased in a couple of days, there isn't a long term effect that I am aware of (if there is can you please show me evidence this is the case I'd be interested).
Plaque formation within your arteries from poor diet and health restricts the size of your vessels which effectively increases your blood pressure. This is difficult to deal with and is a more permenant effect (or it will take a lot of effort to clear up if it even can be). Once this occurs you will be hypersensitive to sodium since the diameter of your blood vessels is reduced even a "normal" amount of sodium can spike your blood pressure extremely high and a lot of sodium could potentially cause damage to you. That is why for people with high blood pressure from this sort of medical issue should avoid sodium.
If you do not have plaques and restricted blood flow and medical issues related to high blood pressure there is no reason to worry about sodium. In anything but the most extreme cases your body's regulation of sodium will take care of it before it causes a major problem. Is having high blood pressure for any reason year round over and over again good for you? No, it isn't, high blood pressure can increase risk of things like stroke as well as cause damage to your circulation system and heart over time. So yes, if you eat an extreme amount of sodium constantly you should probably cut that out...but that is true of a lot of things we don't have such a focus on.
I think its more likely there is such a focus on sodium because in developed nations, especially the United States, there is a huge issue with cardiovascular disease which can make people hyper sensitive to sodium. This sort of "avoid sodium" advice due to this just got co-opted by the general populace and the medical establishment probably thought "well, not a bad idea if everyone avoids sodium most people get to much anyways". Kind of like how there are some people out there who are legitimately allergic to gluten but now avoiding gluten is made out to be some sort of health thing for anyone. In both cases its an exaggeration of the risks associated with something on the basis of people who do get adverse effects due to medical conditions.
If you had infinite time and infinite will and could pay attention to absolutely everything all at once then sure, track your sodium and keep it in a certain range...would probably have some benefit. But a tiny benefit relative to a lot of other things you could be paying attention to with your health. For most people with limited time and no cardiovascular disease tracking their sodium and worrying about their intake of it is a total waste of time. At worst people lower their sodium to dangerously low levels because they overdo it.
That's fascinating! So assuming I'm following, what you're saying is that the standard US recommendation regarding decreasing sodium consumption isn't about preventing hypertension, but stems from the assumptions that (1) high blood pressure is common in the US due to various diet and lifestyle patterns, (2) a high sodium diet is dangerous for people with high blood pressure, and (3) the standard American diet is high in sodium. And so therefore if one's blood pressure is within the healthy range, there's no reason to be concerned about sodium intake unless you're trying to avoid water weight (which I personally think is asinine, but that's a different topic). Does that sound about right?1 -
Tariq_1997 wrote: »livingleanlivingclean wrote: »Why are you worried about it?
Lol cause salt isn't good for body. And it makes you gain weight if it's eaten in large amounts
Water weight. So sure, a temporary gain, but it's not fat.0 -
MegaMooseEsq wrote: »Aaron_K123 wrote: »Population recommendations for sodium intake are based on preventing hypertension in the average person.
The idea of ignoring those recommendations because you have no history of high blood pressure is illogical. You may not have issues now; the recommendations are to guide your intake to prevent future problems.
.........
Clinically, many individuals have sodium requirements outside the general recommendation. Heart failure patients, people with kidney disfunction or on certain medications. And so on. The guidelines aren’t for those people.
The guidelines are for regular, average people.
Even if their blood pressure is currently normal.
..........
Remember they are guidelines. Not a prescription.
A high sodium day is not such a big deal. A few years of high sodium diet might be an issue.
High sodium increases blood pressure through recruitment of water into your blood plasma to dilute the sodium. More volume, same space, more pressure. Eat less sodium and drink more water to flush out sodium and your blood pressure goes down. Years of eating high sodium can be erased in a couple of days, there isn't a long term effect that I am aware of (if there is can you please show me evidence this is the case I'd be interested).
Plaque formation within your arteries from poor diet and health restricts the size of your vessels which effectively increases your blood pressure. This is difficult to deal with and is a more permenant effect (or it will take a lot of effort to clear up if it even can be). Once this occurs you will be hypersensitive to sodium since the diameter of your blood vessels is reduced even a "normal" amount of sodium can spike your blood pressure extremely high and a lot of sodium could potentially cause damage to you. That is why for people with high blood pressure from this sort of medical issue should avoid sodium.
If you do not have plaques and restricted blood flow and medical issues related to high blood pressure there is no reason to worry about sodium. In anything but the most extreme cases your body's regulation of sodium will take care of it before it causes a major problem. Is having high blood pressure for any reason year round over and over again good for you? No, it isn't, high blood pressure can increase risk of things like stroke as well as cause damage to your circulation system and heart over time. So yes, if you eat an extreme amount of sodium constantly you should probably cut that out...but that is true of a lot of things we don't have such a focus on.
I think its more likely there is such a focus on sodium because in developed nations, especially the United States, there is a huge issue with cardiovascular disease which can make people hyper sensitive to sodium. This sort of "avoid sodium" advice due to this just got co-opted by the general populace and the medical establishment probably thought "well, not a bad idea if everyone avoids sodium most people get to much anyways". Kind of like how there are some people out there who are legitimately allergic to gluten but now avoiding gluten is made out to be some sort of health thing for anyone. In both cases its an exaggeration of the risks associated with something on the basis of people who do get adverse effects due to medical conditions.
If you had infinite time and infinite will and could pay attention to absolutely everything all at once then sure, track your sodium and keep it in a certain range...would probably have some benefit. But a tiny benefit relative to a lot of other things you could be paying attention to with your health. For most people with limited time and no cardiovascular disease tracking their sodium and worrying about their intake of it is a total waste of time. At worst people lower their sodium to dangerously low levels because they overdo it.
That's fascinating! So assuming I'm following, what you're saying is that the standard US recommendation regarding decreasing sodium consumption isn't about preventing hypertension, but stems from the assumptions that (1) high blood pressure is common in the US due to various diet and lifestyle patterns, (2) a high sodium diet is dangerous for people with high blood pressure, and (3) the standard American diet is high in sodium. And so therefore if one's blood pressure is within the healthy range, there's no reason to be concerned about sodium intake unless you're trying to avoid water weight (which I personally think is asinine, but that's a different topic). Does that sound about right?
That's how my dietitian explains it to me -- that sure, if you're getting that sodium because you're wolfing down chips, and french fries, and all that stuff coupled with larger amounts of fat, then it's probably not a fantastic thing. But if you're active, and it's just happening by happenstance, it's not a concern.
I had been hovering between 1500-1900 during days when I was eating largely food that I made entirely at home, and then swinging up to closer to 3000-4000 on days when I was eating out. And then freaking out over the weight change that came with it (OK, so I still freak out about that). She said that for someone as active as I am, she viewed the 1500-1900 to be entirely inadequate, and that I'd see lesser swings if I could stay closer to 2000-2300 at a minimum, and not to worry as much about it. And sure enough, even though there's been some persistent gains at the moment due to some other factors, the swings on higher-sodium days are not nearly as dramatic.0 -
MegaMooseEsq wrote: »Aaron_K123 wrote: »Population recommendations for sodium intake are based on preventing hypertension in the average person.
The idea of ignoring those recommendations because you have no history of high blood pressure is illogical. You may not have issues now; the recommendations are to guide your intake to prevent future problems.
.........
Clinically, many individuals have sodium requirements outside the general recommendation. Heart failure patients, people with kidney disfunction or on certain medications. And so on. The guidelines aren’t for those people.
The guidelines are for regular, average people.
Even if their blood pressure is currently normal.
..........
Remember they are guidelines. Not a prescription.
A high sodium day is not such a big deal. A few years of high sodium diet might be an issue.
High sodium increases blood pressure through recruitment of water into your blood plasma to dilute the sodium. More volume, same space, more pressure. Eat less sodium and drink more water to flush out sodium and your blood pressure goes down. Years of eating high sodium can be erased in a couple of days, there isn't a long term effect that I am aware of (if there is can you please show me evidence this is the case I'd be interested).
Plaque formation within your arteries from poor diet and health restricts the size of your vessels which effectively increases your blood pressure. This is difficult to deal with and is a more permenant effect (or it will take a lot of effort to clear up if it even can be). Once this occurs you will be hypersensitive to sodium since the diameter of your blood vessels is reduced even a "normal" amount of sodium can spike your blood pressure extremely high and a lot of sodium could potentially cause damage to you. That is why for people with high blood pressure from this sort of medical issue should avoid sodium.
If you do not have plaques and restricted blood flow and medical issues related to high blood pressure there is no reason to worry about sodium. In anything but the most extreme cases your body's regulation of sodium will take care of it before it causes a major problem. Is having high blood pressure for any reason year round over and over again good for you? No, it isn't, high blood pressure can increase risk of things like stroke as well as cause damage to your circulation system and heart over time. So yes, if you eat an extreme amount of sodium constantly you should probably cut that out...but that is true of a lot of things we don't have such a focus on.
I think its more likely there is such a focus on sodium because in developed nations, especially the United States, there is a huge issue with cardiovascular disease which can make people hyper sensitive to sodium. This sort of "avoid sodium" advice due to this just got co-opted by the general populace and the medical establishment probably thought "well, not a bad idea if everyone avoids sodium most people get to much anyways". Kind of like how there are some people out there who are legitimately allergic to gluten but now avoiding gluten is made out to be some sort of health thing for anyone. In both cases its an exaggeration of the risks associated with something on the basis of people who do get adverse effects due to medical conditions.
If you had infinite time and infinite will and could pay attention to absolutely everything all at once then sure, track your sodium and keep it in a certain range...would probably have some benefit. But a tiny benefit relative to a lot of other things you could be paying attention to with your health. For most people with limited time and no cardiovascular disease tracking their sodium and worrying about their intake of it is a total waste of time. At worst people lower their sodium to dangerously low levels because they overdo it.
That's fascinating! So assuming I'm following, what you're saying is that the standard US recommendation regarding decreasing sodium consumption isn't about preventing hypertension, but stems from the assumptions that (1) high blood pressure is common in the US due to various diet and lifestyle patterns, (2) a high sodium diet is dangerous for people with high blood pressure, and (3) the standard American diet is high in sodium. And so therefore if one's blood pressure is within the healthy range, there's no reason to be concerned about sodium intake unless you're trying to avoid water weight (which I personally think is asinine, but that's a different topic). Does that sound about right?
Well no I mean if you constantly take in high levels of sodium it will cause hypertension, hypertension is just high blood pressure. I'm just trying to establish there is a big difference between poor eating habits and health leading to plaque formation in your arteries that constricts them and leads to chronic high blood pressure (a disease and a medical condition) and just having temporarily high blood pressure because you ate some salt that can be easily rectified by just drinking more water.
I think the medical establishment advices avoiding sodium because they assume the majority of the population intakes too much sodium and that if they tell people to avoid it most people will just take in a little bit less (not actually avoid it).
If people actually avoided sodium that would be quite bad for their health. As for your intake and what "optimum" is that is going to depend on a lot of factors that aren't taken into account at all in the suggested daily allotment. How much water you drink, how active you are, both play major roles in how much sodium you "should" take in.
Truth is though for most people it really isn't that big of a deal and people make a much bigger deal out of it than is necessary.1
This discussion has been closed.
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