What are the best sources of Sodium?

2

Replies

  • katarina005
    katarina005 Posts: 259 Member
    tangent836 wrote: »
    I understand that an adult man has to consume at least 500 mg of Sodium a day and more if he exercises. Ever since I started dieting, I've realized that I am often not eating enough salt. What are the healthiest sources of salt? How do I make sure I eat enough of it? Is it a bad idea to simply add table salt to the food I'm eating?

    are you a vegetarian? I am and I had this problem for a while. you can eat salted butter, pretzels. Many ways to have enough salt
  • tuddy315
    tuddy315 Posts: 11,638 Member
    Chicken and beef stock or broth have a lot of sodium.
  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
    tangent836 wrote: »
    @cwolfman13 @janejellyroll @estherdragonbat @singingflutelady @Jruzer
    Sodium pills are processed ;)
    I realize that. It seems it's pretty difficult to completely avoid processed foods. I'm not chemist or dietitian, but it seems that the salt in sodium pills will not be as affected by processing, as whatever they put in cans of tomatoes. Just a hunch. Like I said, what is the OPTIMAL solution? I'm not asking for the ideal. :)

    I don't understand. Why wouldn't it be?
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
    edited February 2019
    Why not just sprinkle a bit of salt or soy sauce on your food instead? (Note: I've never had Gatorade in my life.)

    Yeah, or just use salt in cooking. Makes food taste better. 500 mg sodium requires such a tiny amount of salt (and I personally suspect there are some bad entries in use here).
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
    edited February 2019
    To follow up on that, the last day I fully logged (Wed), I logged no added salt (I'm doing a DASH experiment) and had over 1700 mg of sodium, including:

    shrimp -- over 800 mg
    black olives (only -- over 200 mg, in only about 32 cal (too processed for you?)
    spinach -- 90 mg
    plain greek yogurt (granted, processed) -- 75 mg
    fennel -- 70 mg
    chickpeas -- 50 mg
    various other veg that provided 30-40 mg
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
    edited February 2019
    kosher salt is totally fine too.

    (It's better for cooking than finer table salt, IMO.)

    Here's a discussion of the relative merits of different salts for different purposes (it's about the shape and size): https://www.seriouseats.com/2013/03/ask-the-food-lab-do-i-need-to-use-kosher-salt.html

    Speaking of pink salt, though, the answer to OP's problem is likely to eat off one of these pink salt plates! https://www.seriouseats.com/2010/07/gadgets-himalayan-salt-plate-from-serious-salt-rock.html
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,097 Member
    tangent836 wrote: »
    tangent836 wrote: »
    Roberta H. Anding is a professor at the Baylor College of Medicine and a registered dietitian. She says that the less processed something is, the better it is for you.

    But that doesn't necessarily make sense. You need more sodium, right? So if a processed item has more sodium, then it's actually better for you currently, right?

    Possibly. I'm looking for the optimal solution. I want to consume the correct amount of sodium daily while avoiding processed food. Can't I have the best of both worlds? :)

    Other than seafood (plants, crustaceans, and mollusks, mainly), I don't think there are any unprocessed foods with high levels of sodium. And I don't recommend going to the beach and eating whatever plants wash up. Unless you live alone in some remote part of the world, commercially harvested and processed sea weed is going to be a lot healthier than what you pick up on the shore (given the state of pollution of most ocean waters in populated areas).
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,097 Member
    tangent836 wrote: »
    @cwolfman13 @janejellyroll @estherdragonbat @singingflutelady @Jruzer
    Sodium pills are processed ;)
    I realize that. It seems it's pretty difficult to completely avoid processed foods. I'm not chemist or dietitian, but it seems that the salt in sodium pills will not be as affected by processing, as whatever they put in cans of tomatoes. Just a hunch. Like I said, what is the OPTIMAL solution? I'm not asking for the ideal. :)

    I can't imagine how sodium could be "affected" by processing and still be sodium. It's an element. Are you imagining it's going to become some radioactive isotope of sodium when it meets up with a little tomato?
  • tangent836
    tangent836 Posts: 14 Member
    edited February 2019
    tangent836 wrote: »
    @cwolfman13 @janejellyroll @estherdragonbat @singingflutelady @Jruzer
    Sodium pills are processed ;)
    I realize that. It seems it's pretty difficult to completely avoid processed foods. I'm not chemist or dietitian, but it seems that the salt in sodium pills will not be as affected by processing, as whatever they put in cans of tomatoes. Just a hunch. Like I said, what is the OPTIMAL solution? I'm not asking for the ideal. :)

    I can't imagine how sodium could be "affected" by processing and still be sodium. It's an element. Are you imagining it's going to become some radioactive isotope of sodium when it meets up with a little tomato?

    No, but the processing will affect the tomato :)
  • suziecue25
    suziecue25 Posts: 289 Member
    tangent836 wrote: »
    tangent836 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    tangent836 wrote: »
    melmoldy wrote: »
    tangent836 wrote: »
    I understand that an adult man has to consume at least 500 mg of Sodium a day and more if he exercises. Ever since I started dieting, I've realized that I am often not eating enough salt. What are the healthiest sources of salt? How do I make sure I eat enough of it? Is it a bad idea to simply add table salt to the food I'm eating?

    THIS is hilarious!!! Dude, you really need to educate yourself on nutrition. Sodium = salt! WTF. SPRINKLE SOME EFFIN SALT ON YOUR FOOD. There are some of the stupidest people on this website. LMAO. Man...

    For starters, Salt = Sodium + Chloride In fact, salt is MOSTLY chloride. Sodium is a nutrient that is found in many foods, salt being only one among them. My question was whether salt was a good source of sodium, or whether it's better to get it from other foods such as vegetables.

    If you're actually low on sodium, you're not going to beef it up much with vegetables. I would look more to minimally processed foods like canned goods, cottage cheese, vegetable juice, etc.

    I'm trying to avoid processed foods like
    the plague. Wouldn't it be better to just take a sodium table like @RunnerGrl1982 suggested? Also, wouldn't it be more convenient to take when I'm working out? That way I don't have to drink gatoraid (yuck).

    All processed foods? Why?

    I've heard a nutritionist say that the less processed something is, that healthier it is for you.

    The NHS in UK blames processed food, especially processed meats [sausage, bacon, ham and deli] pizza and ready meals for people dying years before they should. It's the salt and fat content.
  • suziecue25
    suziecue25 Posts: 289 Member
    lemurcat2 wrote: »
    suziecue25 wrote: »
    tangent836 wrote: »
    tangent836 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    tangent836 wrote: »
    melmoldy wrote: »
    tangent836 wrote: »
    I understand that an adult man has to consume at least 500 mg of Sodium a day and more if he exercises. Ever since I started dieting, I've realized that I am often not eating enough salt. What are the healthiest sources of salt? How do I make sure I eat enough of it? Is it a bad idea to simply add table salt to the food I'm eating?

    THIS is hilarious!!! Dude, you really need to educate yourself on nutrition. Sodium = salt! WTF. SPRINKLE SOME EFFIN SALT ON YOUR FOOD. There are some of the stupidest people on this website. LMAO. Man...

    For starters, Salt = Sodium + Chloride In fact, salt is MOSTLY chloride. Sodium is a nutrient that is found in many foods, salt being only one among them. My question was whether salt was a good source of sodium, or whether it's better to get it from other foods such as vegetables.

    If you're actually low on sodium, you're not going to beef it up much with vegetables. I would look more to minimally processed foods like canned goods, cottage cheese, vegetable juice, etc.

    I'm trying to avoid processed foods like
    the plague. Wouldn't it be better to just take a sodium table like @RunnerGrl1982 suggested? Also, wouldn't it be more convenient to take when I'm working out? That way I don't have to drink gatoraid (yuck).

    All processed foods? Why?

    I've heard a nutritionist say that the less processed something is, that healthier it is for you.

    The NHS in UK blames processed food, especially processed meats [sausage, bacon, ham and deli] pizza and ready meals for people dying years before they should. It's the salt and fat content.

    Yeah -- meat aside, usually when people go on about "processed" foods being worse they mean "ultraprocessed," and it's based on a claim like "most of these products have less fiber and protein and more added salt, added sugar, or fat, usually from less desirable sources). This is both an over-generalization even for ultraprocessed foods, and not a reason to avoid processed foods in general, as the statement is certainly not the case for most of them.

    They are also usually talking about dosage -- there are some people who completely live off of ultraprocessed foods, and close to it, and unless they are really careful about choices (or eat to excess, which is another possible result) likely aren't getting adequate fiber or nutrients. So advice for people eating the western pattern diet (or SAD), as it is often called, is to eat more whole foods and less ultraprocessed stuff. Doesn't mean that any processed foods (or even any ultraprocessed foods) will be a problem in any amount.

    But again it's plenty easy to get way over 500 mg from food alone, and quite simple to hit, say, 2000 mg with limited use of minimally processed foods and a pinch of salt or two when cooking. So I find this whole "how can I reach 500 mg" thing odd.

    I totally agree re 'dosage'....it all comes down to moderation.
  • Just_Jon
    Just_Jon Posts: 108 Member
    Best source = table salt.
  • Just_Jon
    Just_Jon Posts: 108 Member
    tangent836 wrote: »
    Do you really think there's something horribly wrong with canned tomatoes or canned beans? I understand wanting to limit or cut out ultra processed food items, but avoiding canned tomatoes like the plague seems a bit over the top. It's not like they're adding all kinds of things to them. The processing on most canned goods like that is very minimal, which is why they're referred to as minimally processed foods.

    The issue with canned food is the chemicals leaching from the can lining. The lining prevents degradation of the metal during storage. Until recently, BPA has been one of the compounds most heavily studied. Some studies have shown bloodstream BPA levels directly linked to the amount of canned food consumed. About 90% of can linings stopped using BPA in the past few years, but it still remains in the market. Replacements for BPA in liner materials are less studied, so many people still try to avoid using canned foods when possible.

  • aokoye
    aokoye Posts: 3,495 Member
    tangent836 wrote: »
    tangent836 wrote: »
    @cwolfman13 @janejellyroll @estherdragonbat @singingflutelady @Jruzer
    Sodium pills are processed ;)
    I realize that. It seems it's pretty difficult to completely avoid processed foods. I'm not chemist or dietitian, but it seems that the salt in sodium pills will not be as affected by processing, as whatever they put in cans of tomatoes. Just a hunch. Like I said, what is the OPTIMAL solution? I'm not asking for the ideal. :)

    I can't imagine how sodium could be "affected" by processing and still be sodium. It's an element. Are you imagining it's going to become some radioactive isotope of sodium when it meets up with a little tomato?

    No, but the processing will affect the tomato :)

    If that's you're logic, then I hope you're only eating raw food, food that hasn't been milled, and food that hasn't been frozen.
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    edited February 2019
    tangent836 wrote: »
    melmoldy wrote: »
    tangent836 wrote: »
    I understand that an adult man has to consume at least 500 mg of Sodium a day and more if he exercises. Ever since I started dieting, I've realized that I am often not eating enough salt. What are the healthiest sources of salt? How do I make sure I eat enough of it? Is it a bad idea to simply add table salt to the food I'm eating?

    THIS is hilarious!!! Dude, you really need to educate yourself on nutrition. Sodium = salt! WTF. SPRINKLE SOME EFFIN SALT ON YOUR FOOD. There are some of the stupidest people on this website. LMAO. Man...

    For starters, Salt = Sodium + Chloride In fact, salt is MOSTLY chloride. Sodium is a nutrient that is found in many foods, salt being only one among them. My question was whether salt was a good source of sodium, or whether it's better to get it from other foods such as vegetables.

    sodium chloride isnt mostly chloride...it is a 1 to 1 ratio. Although the poster you were responding to was being rude they happen to be right. If somehow you are actually low on sodium then sprinkle some salt on your food.
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    I really would advise that you not overthink the sodium thing, there is a lot more important things to put your effort towards.

    There also isnt so much a one-size-fits-all amount to tell you. The amount of sodium you should take in is directly related to how much water you take in and how much you are sweating. If you sweat a lot and drink lots of water then you probably should have more sodium...but it is really easy to tell if you aren't getting enough...just note the color of your urine...

    if your urine is straw color you are fine where you are. If it is darker then you need more water. If it is lighter you probably need more sodium or to drink less water.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    tangent836 wrote: »
    tangent836 wrote: »
    Roberta H. Anding is a professor at the Baylor College of Medicine and a registered dietitian. She says that the less processed something is, the better it is for you.

    But that doesn't necessarily make sense. You need more sodium, right? So if a processed item has more sodium, then it's actually better for you currently, right?

    Possibly. I'm looking for the optimal solution. I want to consume the correct amount of sodium daily while avoiding processed food. Can't I have the best of both worlds? :)

    Eat shrimp, decent amount of sodium AND a fair amount of potassium (another essential electrolyte) but really low in calories.
  • tangent836
    tangent836 Posts: 14 Member
    MikePTY wrote: »
    I'm not sure what your diet is, but it's honestly pretty hard for me to believe you eat less than 500 mgs of sodium per day. That's pretty hard to do. I'm happy when I stay under 2,000 mgs quite frankly. If you make your diary public, we can take a look and see if you are really having less than 500mgs a day.

    As for foods in the database, a lot do not have their sodium info entered. MFP only makes you add calorie info. Everything else is optional. If people are verifying it, they are most likely only paying attention to calorie information, and maybe macros. But not really sodium

    How do I make my diary public?
  • aokoye
    aokoye Posts: 3,495 Member
    TRC1789 wrote: »
    Himalayan pink salt in some warm water and salted on food is far healthier than table salt. Celtic sea salt is also a good option.
    Why? I could potentially see it being tastier, but why is it healthier?
  • Noreenmarie1234
    Noreenmarie1234 Posts: 7,492 Member
    My favorite is spicy mustard. I can't believe you have less than 500 a day..... I get 5000-10000 a day because I add mustard/hotsauce/pickles/bananapeppers/etc to every meal and also eat a lot of pretzels, lol.

    I even have a stockpile at all times of like 50 containers...

    76764p6fn2fh.png



    :Dxhrg4oue3pcg.png
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    tangent836 wrote: »
    MikePTY wrote: »
    I'm not sure what your diet is, but it's honestly pretty hard for me to believe you eat less than 500 mgs of sodium per day. That's pretty hard to do. I'm happy when I stay under 2,000 mgs quite frankly. If you make your diary public, we can take a look and see if you are really having less than 500mgs a day.

    As for foods in the database, a lot do not have their sodium info entered. MFP only makes you add calorie info. Everything else is optional. If people are verifying it, they are most likely only paying attention to calorie information, and maybe macros. But not really sodium

    How do I make my diary public?

    Settings > Diary settings > Public
This discussion has been closed.