One health question nutritionists and dieticians frequently discuss with patients is how much Sodium is too much Sodium.
Knowing the optimum amount of Sodium to ingest in a day is very important if you want to be at your best. Sodium is critical to our health for several reasons.
Sodium is an electrolyte crucial for the body. It is responsible for retaining water and maintaining intracellular and extracellular fluids in the right balance. This fact is one of the main reasons why it is essential to know how much Sodium is too much Sodium.
There are also other ways that Sodium helps you maintain body functions. Sodium is electrically charged, and potassium helps maintain nerve transmission, muscle contraction, and other functions. To put it simply, the body can not function without Sodium.
How much Sodium is too much Sodium is an important thing to consider because most studies show that many people consume far more than they should daily. And sodium levels that are too high can have very devasting effects on your body.
How much Sodium is too much Sodium?
Now, Sodium is one of those things you have to be very careful with consuming. Some of the initial and most common side effects of consuming too much Sodium should be familiar. The more immediate and short-term effects include puffiness, bloating, weight gain due to water retention, headaches, and elevated blood pressure levels.
By not knowing how much Sodium is too much Sodium for the average person, you are risking these short-term issues and putting yourself at risk for much more significant health problems. Suppose you exceed your Sodium consumption (which is common). In that case, you risk high blood pressure, kidney disease that can result in painful kidney stones, calcium loss that can result in osteoporosis, heart failure, stomach cancer, and even stroke.
Although there are many short-term effects to watch out for, there are also long-term effects from not knowing how much Sodium is too much Sodium. One of the first warning signs that you may be overeating salt include intense thirst because your kidneys want to keep the correct water to sodium level, so the body will crave more water when it has too much Sodium.
When you find yourself highly thirsty, drinking water is the answer. However, until your sodium levels get corrected, this will lead to bloating and water retention. So expect to be using the bathroom more frequently as your kidneys are trying to flush the excess sodium from your body.
How much Sodium is too much Sodium?
The easy answer to how much Sodium is too much Sodium for the average person is no more than 1500 mg a day. That may sound like a lot, but it is less than you think. Most recent studies show that the average American consumes about 3400 mg, more than double the recommendations.
Leading a healthy lifestyle is all about balance. And as more people become informed, salt intake is slowly starting to decrease. Unfortunately, certain processed foods contain amounts that are in the extreme. That is why it is critical to understand how much Sodium is too much Sodium for the average person.
One of the primary sources of Sodium is salt. Salt is 40% sodium and 60% chloride, so keep lowering the salt intake by using it very sparingly. Many health experts agree that more natural options like sea salt or pink salt without iodine are healthier for you than regular table salt. Knowing how much Sodium is too much Sodium for the average person is just the first step.
If you want to establish and maintain a healthy diet, it needs to be well balanced. Now that you know how much Sodium is too much Sodium for the average person, you need to understand how to find it on your food labels in the grocery stores.
It is essential to look for terms beyond salt. Monosodium glutamate, sodium citrate, sodium bicarbonate, and sodium alginate are some of the ingredients that tell you if a food is high in Sodium.
When checking the labels of packaged and processed foods and keep in mind these numbers:
– Sodium-free: must have less than 5 mg. of Sodium per serving.
– Very low in Sodium: 35 mg. or less.
– Less Sodium: must be 25% less than the original version, and it does not mean it is low in Sodium.
– Low Sodium: no more than 150 mg.
Once again, how much Sodium is too much Sodium for the average person, anything more than 1500 mg a day. Unfortunately, certain processed foods contain amounts that are in the extreme.
Health experts generally agree that home cooking is by far the best thing for you to understand how little salt you need to use to flavor your food. The best way to keep in mind how much Sodium is too much Sodium for you and your loved ones is to use it very sparingly.
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