Why worry about eating foods containing sodium?
Too much sodium may harm your health by causing high blood pressure. High blood pressure may increase your chances for a heart attack, stroke or kidney disease. Some people with high blood pressure can help reduce it by eating less sodium. Some people cannot. How much sodium do you need? If you are like most people, you need a lot less sodium than you eat. Salt and sodium are usually measured in units of weight called milligrams (mg). Doctors suggest that the range of 1,100 to 2,500 milligrams of sodium (about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of salt) is “safe” to eat each day. How can you eat less sodium? FIRST, find out where the sodium comes from in your diet. It is found naturally in food and may be added during processing, during cooking or at the table. THEN, cut down. Add less salt when cooking. Use less salt at the table. Read labels and either avoid high salty foods or eat less of them.
