< previous page | page_42 | next page >
Page 42
| Sodium Smarts |
| There's lots of confusion about sodium and salt. On the one hand, sodium is one of the minerals essential to your body's health. On the other hand, salt (sodium chloride) is bad for youor is it? |
| Sodium is the main component of the body's extracellular fluids and helps carry nutrients into the cells; it also helps regulate other body functions, such as blood pressure and fluid volume. However, your body needs only a very small amount. |
| For a while there was widespread panic about saltthe dietary form of sodiumand the salt shaker was banished from many a table. But these days, many scientists agree that salt's been unfairly maligned. If you don't have high blood pressure, and are not at risk for it, you needn't worry about sprinkling a bit of salt on your food. But if you are at risk, you need to keep your salt intake at a strict minimum; hypertension can lead to heart attacks, kidney disease, and strokes. Some health experts also warn that excess salt intake makes your kidneys work too hard to get rid of the excess, and results in a loss of calcium. |
| One teaspoon of salt provides about 2,300 milligrams of sodium, so it's easy to consume more than the RDA of 2,400 milligrams, or even the more generous 4,000 milligrams recommended by other experts. Some 75 percent of the sodium Americans consume comes from processed foodsbread, cheese, canned foods, and more. So pushing away the salt shaker at home or at a restaurant won't help much |
| To reduce your salt intake, try the following: |
| Check for hidden sources of salt in your diet by reading nutrition labels when you shop. |
| Stick to unprocessed foods as much as possible; they're better for your health. |
| If you need to add salt when cooking, do it at the end; you're likely to add much less. |
| Try substituting herbs and spices; they're a healthier alternative for flavor. |
| Cut down gradually; you may find yourself losing your taste for salt. |
| When you do eat salty foods, increase your potassium intake by eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetablespotassium may help reduce blood pressure. |
< previous page | page_42 | next page >