Salt and sodium: The facts Salt, also known as sodium chloride, is about 40 percent sodium and 60 percent chloride. It adds flavor to food and is also used as a preservative, binder, and stabilizer. The human body needs a very small amount of sodium – the primary element we get from salt – to conduct nerve impulses, contract and relax muscles, and maintain the proper balance of water and minerals. But too much sodium in the diet can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. 1. Get Fresh-- Most processed foods are high in sodium. Choose fresh foods and season them with herbs, spices, and citrus - not salt. 2. Scan the label-- Look for canned, boxed, frozen, and prepared foods with less than 300 milligrams of sodium per serving. 3. Downsize your portions-- A good rule of thumb is that the more calories a meal has, the more sodium it has. So skip the supersize. Share a dish and you can cut your salt by half. 4. Seek low-salt options when dining out-- Check restaurant websites for sodium info. Ask the server for dishes that use salt sparingly. Use a light hand on salty condiments.
Posted on: Sat, 05 Jul 2014 10:48:34 +0000
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