This is why drinks made for athletes contain electrolytes since a lot of sodium is lost when the muscles are exerted. Salt is also essential to maintain a balance of fluids in the body.
Dietary Sources of Salt
The American Heart Association (AHA) states that the average human should not ingest more than 2,300 mg of salt per day, and that adults should limit their salt intake to 1,500 mg per day.
However, most people tend to exceed that limit because of their food choices. If you are trying to reduce sodium in blood and do not know where to start, it is best to first find out which types of food contain the most amount of salt.
How to Reduce Sodium in Blood: Skip Processed Food
Who can resist breakfast made up of bacon and eggs? Despite the fact that these types of food are loved by many, they contain a lot of salt.
Canned goods need a lot of salt to be preserved, and fast food gets that authentic taste because of all the salt in the additives. Processed food is one of the major culprits when it comes to salt in your diet.
Choose Natural Sources of Sodium
Sodium is present naturally in some food, namely dairy, vegetables, meat, and shellfish. However, the amount of salt present in these foods is not enough to cause harm to the body. It is still important to take note that despite the low amount, it may add up to a harmful level if you consume too much food.
Aside from salt that is made readily available in shakers in its “raw” form, condiments like soy sauce, ketchup, and liquid seasoning also contain sodium.
The AHA also names the top “salty six” foods. These widely consumed food items contain a large amount of salt.
- Bread
- Pizza
- Soup
- Cold cuts and cured meats
- Poultry
- Sandwiches
How Salt Harms the Body
Ideally, the kidneys balance out the amount of salt in the body. Excess sodium is excreted in the urine. But if too much salt is present in the blood, the kidneys can no longer filter them out or secrete them in urine.
This causes a harmful build-up in your blood. The salt build-up in the bloodstream can pose many health risks for the heart and the circulatory system. These conditions include hypertension and chronic kidney disease. So it’s important to know how to reduce sodium in blood.
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