- Hi, my name is Angela Gross,
and I am a registered dietitian
at the St. Cloud VA Health Care System.
Today I am going to talk to you about sodium in your diet.
As it stands, the average American takes in
more than 3,400 milligrams of sodium each day.
That's almost 2,000 milligrams more
than the 1,500 milligrams
that the American Heart Association recommends
for ideal cardiovascular health.
That much sodium is harmful to your health.
Studies link excess sodium intake
to the development of elevated blood pressure,
which increases the risk of heart attacks,
stroke, and kidney disease.
There is a well-established body of evidence
that links sodium and high blood pressure,
and most Americans eat much more sodium
than is recommended.
The blood pressure response to sodium reduction
is direct and progressive.
Independent of these effects on blood pressure,
excess sodium intake adversely affects the heart,
kidneys, and blood vessels,
and it is strongly linked to the development and worsening
of kidney disease, stroke, and heart attacks.
Excess sodium intake has also been linked
to kidney stones, asthma,
osteoporosis, and gastric cancer.
The lifetime risk of developing hypertension is nearly 90%.
People who don't currently have high blood pressure
will benefit from following the recommendation to consume
less than 1,500 milligrams of sodium daily.
Less sodium in the diet
can help to blunt the rise in blood pressure
that occurs as we age
and will also reduce the risk of developing other conditions,
such as kidney disease,
associated with excess sodium consumption.
Know that 1 teaspoon of salt
is equal to 2,300 milligrams of sodium.
Avoid using garlic salt, onion salt,
MSG, meat tenderizers, broth mixes,
soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, barbeque sauce,
olives, pickles,
bacon bits, and croutons.
Use fresh ingredients
and foods with no added salt.
Look for seasonings or spice blends with no salt,
or try fresh herbs, onions, or garlic.
Do not use a salt substitute
unless you check with your doctor or dietitian first,
due to the potential drug or nutrient interactions.
For favorite recipes,
you may need to use other ingredients
and delete the salt added.
Salt can be removed from any recipe
except for those containing yeast.
Try orange, lemon, lime,
pineapple juice, or vinegar
as a base to meat marinades
or to add tart flavor.
Avoid convenience foods
such as canned soups, entrees, vegetables,
pasta and rice mixes,
frozen dinners,
instant cereal and puddings,
and gravy sauce mixes.
Select frozen meals that contain
around 600 milligrams of sodium or less.
Use fresh, frozen,
no-added-salt canned vegetables,
low-sodium soups,
and low-sodium lunchmeats.
Be aware and try to limit
the American Heart Association's "Salty Six,"
which include breads, rolls, bagels,
flour tortillas and wraps,
cold cuts and cured meats, pizza,
poultry, because much of the poultry that we eat
are injected with sodium.
So check the nutrition facts label for the sodium content
and read package for a description of the solution.
For example, "fresh chicken in a 15% solution."
Also soups and sandwiches.
Learn to read food labels.
Use the label information on food packages
to help you make the best low-sodium selections.
Nutrition labels and an ingredient list
are required on most foods,
so you can make the best selections
for a healthy lifestyle.
So let's review some sodium claims on labels.
"Sodium-free" indicates that a product contains
less than 5 milligrams of sodium per serving.
"Very low sodium" indicates that a product contains
35 milligrams of sodium or less per serving.
"Low sodium" indicates that a product contains
140 milligrams of sodium or less per serving.
"Reduced sodium" or "less sodium" indicates
that a product contains at least 25% less sodium
than the standard version.
But remember, some "reduced sodium" products
are still very high in sodium,
so you'll need to check the actual sodium content
on the nutrition facts panel
to see if it fits into your low-sodium diet.
For example, "reduced sodium" canned soups,
though considerably lower in salt than regular canned soups,
can still contain almost 500 milligrams of sodium
per 1-cup serving.
"Light in sodium" indicates that a product contains
at least 50% less sodium than standard versions.
Again, remember some "light in sodium" products
are still very high in sodium,
so you'll need to check the actual sodium content
on the nutrition facts label
to see if it fits into your low-sodium diet.
For example, "light" soy sauce,
though considerably lower in salt than regular soy sauce,
still contains 500 to 600 milligrams of sodium
per tablespoon.
"Unsalted" or "no salt added"
indicates that no sodium is added
to the product during processing,
but the product still contains the sodium
that naturally occurs in the product's ingredients.
If a product is labeled as "healthy",
it must contain no more than 480 milligrams of sodium
for an individual food item
or no more than 600 milligrams for a meal or main dish.
Some mistakes to avoid when reading a food label:
Remember, "reduced" is not low
if the original product has 1,000 milligrams of salt.
Sodium is just reduced by 25%.
"Low sodium" means less than 140 milligrams per serving.
And always watch the portion sizes.
Do not assume that a small-package item,
such as from a vending machine,
is just one serving.
A small bag of pretzels may contain 2 1/2 servings,
so you would need to multiply that amount of sodium by 2 1/2.
So what should I eat?
It's best to shop the perimeter of the store.
You want to check the labels
and always choose fresh, frozen, canned fruit when possible.
Look for fresh, frozen, or low-sodium canned vegetables.
Select breads and low-salt crackers.
Purchase fresh or frozen meat
rather than canned or cured meats.
If you would like more information
on how to reduce your sodium intake,
please contact the nutrition clinic
to schedule an appointment with a registered dietitian.