Sodium is a mineral that occurs naturally in most foods. Salt is the most common source of sodium.
We only need about 500 mg of sodium a day to maintain good health. We can easily get this amount if we eat only fresh foods & don't add any salt, because most foods have sodium in them naturally. Have you ever heard of someone being deficient of sodium?
The daily recommended amount of sodium is 2,400 mg which is the equivalent of a teaspoon of salt. Most Americans consume about 4,000 to 6,000 mg a day which is far more sodium than needed.
Too much sodium kills over 150,000 people per year and cripples untold others. Excess sodium can cause high blood pressure, ulcers, excess weight, cravings, fears and jitters; Also, over consumption of salt can weaken bones, muscles, nerves, and your heart; Are you too salty?
Most of us are not remotely aware of how much sodium that we are ingesting. 75% of the sodium that added to food is added when it is processed. There is sodium added into foods that we wouldn't expect it to be in, such as, instant oatmeal, most processed breakfast cereals, vegetable juices, & baked goods. It can be unusually high in cold cuts, frozen meals, diet meals, & even some healthy or organic foods.
Listed below are the levels of sodium in a serving of some everyday foods in many American diets:
1 hot dog 600-800 mg
1 Cheeseburger 830 mg
1 Sausage Biscuit 1,050 mg
1 Slice of Pizza 290-490 mg
Fries (small order) 200-410 mg
Average Lean Cuisine Meal 480 mg
Healthy Choice Panini 560 mg
1 Cup of canned chicken noodle soup 1,160 mg
Crisp Rice Cereal (1 cup) 210 mg
Honey-nut Cheerios (1 cup) 269 mg
Potato Chips (about 15 chips) 210 mg
Pretzels (about 16 small) 390 mg
Raisin Bran Cereal (1 cup) 362 mg
Ranch Dressing (2 tablespoons) 350 mg
Italian Dressing (2 tablespoons) 430 mg
Strawberries (1 cup) 1 mg
Grapes (1 cup) 3 mg
1 Grapefruit 1 mg
1 Apple 1 mg
Cooked Broccoli (1 cup-no butter) 10 mg
It is a good idea to pay attention to the amounts of sodium in the foods that you are putting into your body. Your body is the temple of the Holy spirit. When you find the right way - walk in it! Jesus is The Way, The Truth, & The Life! (John 14:6)
= Ad with Photo
