February 2010 - Vol 5 Issue 2

Sodium’s Secret Dangers
Health concerns of a high sodium diet
by Michelle Gibeault Traub, R.D.

There’s a sneaky ingredient that has made its way into the nation’s food supply impacting nearly every item on grocery store shelves. This stealth invader is none other than sodium, a.k.a salt. While once only known for its potential to raise blood pressure in certain individuals, salt is being implicated in a variety of additional health concerns that impact us all.

Are we being a”salted”?

Aside from fresh produce, very few of the foods that pass our lips are low in sodium. Virtually all packaged products are salted to preserve freshness and add flavor. This can certainly be a good thing. Sodium’s role as a preservative helps prevent the spread of harmful bacteria, while giving foods a long shelf life, and ultimately saving us money by preventing spoilage. However, sodium’s benefits don’t come without a price.

The health problems of high sodium

It is fairly well-known that sodium can lead to hypertension or high blood pressure which increases the risk for stroke. However, for years it was believed that this issue was only a concern for a small percentage of salt-sensitive individuals. Few people really understood how dangerous sodium intake could be on the population as a whole. The harsh reality is that, according to a study released last month, nearly one third of adults have high blood pressure, and lowering sodium intake has the potential to dramatically decrease the incidence of heart disease in the population saving $24 billion in health care costs per year. In addition, sodium’s negative effects are not confined to the cardiovascular system, they also impact:  

• Bone Health – excess sodium causes calcium to be removed from bone. This ultimately increases the risk for osteoporosis. Some experts speculate that the rate of osteoporosis in Americans is greater than that of other populations because of our high sodium diets. In addition to cutting back on sodium, increasing calcium and vitamin D intake through foods and calcium supplements like Adora Calcium can help prevent bone loss. 


• Kidney Disease & Kidney Stones – the kidneys remove excess sodium from the blood. When high sodium foods are consumed the kidneys must work harder. This can lead to kidney problems such as renal disease or kidney stones.


• Bloating - Although it is not a life-threatening concern, sodium intake is also a primary contributor to bloating. Salty foods lead to water retention which promotes weight gain and lethargy.

How to limit sodium

One of the best ways to address sodium intake is to become more aware of the foods you eat. By reading food labels you can educate yourself on the worst offenders. Some choices, like pickles or fast food, taste salty so their sodium content won’t come as a shock, but others like bread and breakfast cereals are far sneakier sources of the mineral. Below are some of the common foods that are highest in sodium.

High Sodium Foods

Although there are many foods that are classified as high in sodium, there are lots of foods that are naturally low in sodium. All fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes, plain nuts, and whole grains are sodium free. In general by simply avoiding processed, packaged foods and sticking with whole, fresh foods, you can drastically reduce your sodium intake while improving your health.

Need help getting started on low sodium? Check out our smart Low Sodium Snacks

Resources

The DASH Diet [PDF] – an eating plan to lower high blood pressure by increasing calcium and potassium and lowering sodium.

References

1. Lawrence J. Appel, M.D., M.P.H., and Cheryl A.M. Anderson, Ph.D., M.P.H. Compelling Evidence for Public Health Action to Reduce Salt Intake. The New England Journal of Medicine, Published at www.nejm.org, January 20, 2010, retrieved 2/2/10 LINK


2. Dr. David L. Katz. Life-Saving Policy, With a Grain of Salt. Preventive Medicine Column (www.DavidKatzMD.com). January 22, 2010, retrieved 2/2/10 LINK

Top of Page