Low sodium diet

Low Sodium Diet

A low sodium diet is a dietary plan that restricts the intake of sodium, a mineral found in many foods. Sodium is essential for maintaining fluid balance in the body, but excessive intake can lead to health problems such as hypertension (high blood pressure), heart disease, and kidney disease.

Overview

Sodium is a mineral that is essential for the body's normal function. It helps maintain the balance of fluids in the body, aids in the transmission of nerve impulses, and is involved in muscle contraction and relaxation. However, too much sodium can cause the body to retain water, which can increase blood pressure and strain the heart and kidneys.

A low sodium diet typically limits sodium intake to 1,500 to 2,300 milligrams (mg) per day. The American Heart Association recommends an ideal limit of no more than 1,500 mg per day for most adults.

Benefits

A low sodium diet can help prevent or manage high blood pressure, heart disease, and kidney disease. It can also reduce the risk of stroke and heart failure. Some people may also find that a low sodium diet helps with weight loss, as it can reduce water retention.

Foods to Include and Avoid

A low sodium diet involves choosing foods that are naturally low in sodium, and avoiding foods that are high in sodium.

Foods to include in a low sodium diet are fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, poultry, fish, and low-fat or non-fat dairy products.

Foods to avoid include processed foods, canned foods, fast foods, and foods that are high in salt such as chips, pretzels, and salted nuts.

Challenges

One of the main challenges of a low sodium diet is that many foods in the typical American diet are high in sodium. This includes not only obvious sources like chips and pretzels, but also less obvious sources like breads, cereals, and even some dairy products.

Another challenge is that sodium is often used as a preservative in processed foods, so it can be difficult to avoid.

See Also

• DASH diet
• Healthy diet
• Hypertension
• Heart disease
• Kidney disease