Avoid These Foods, Eat These Instead
According to research, sodium chloride, which is also known as table salt, has been confirmed to be made up of 40% sodium. In addition, studies have shown that salt sensitivity in humans increases with age, as the leading cause of high blood pressure in the world today is sodium consumption.
The required daily intake of sodium is pegged at 2,300 mg. Anything outside this can cause several health conditions. However, some people still consume sodium contents beyond the required daily intake, and this puts them at risk of developing severe vital organ issues. However, some people unknowingly consume higher than the required daily intake. This can be so because they consume packaged foods, most of which contain higher sodium contents than the required daily intake of sodium.
One of the functions for which sodium is known is adding flavor to foods. Sometimes, it can be used in the preservation of certain foods that have short shelf lives.
The following are types of foods that have high sodium contents. According to experts, these foods should be eaten with caution. Also, some other groups of foods have been identified to be healthy and great substitutes for these high sodium foods.
Shrimp
Being seafood and also a food that has a low shelf life, shrimps are packed with heavy sodium contents. Ranging from the content of the shrimp itself to its preservatives that are rich in sodium. Some of the sodium in shrimps are used to reduce the loss of moisture from shrimps when thawing them.
Soup
Packaged soups are usually packed with sodium in order to preserve them until they are bought. However, there are some soups that do not consume as much sodium as others. Nevertheless, generally, sodium is an active ingredient in the preparation and preservation of certain soups.
Ham
Ham is another food that has sodium packed in it. The sodium here is used to flavor the meat. Usually, ham contains about 34% of the required daily intake value of sodium. Although, recent research has shown that the meat in ham contains a 14% higher amount of sodium than the previously conceived amount.
Companies that produce ham do not in any way show that they cut down on their use of salt in the production and processing of the meat contained in ham.
Instant Pudding
Although puddings do not taste salty. However, the sodium content in the pudding is very high, especially in the instant pudding. The major sources of sodium in pudding include sodium from the normal table salt and sodium from the additives and preservatives.
Research has shown that 25 grams of pudding contain over 300 mg of sodium, which amounts to 15% of the required daily intake of sodium. Slightly lower is the amount of sodium contained in 25 grams of vanilla pudding.
Cottage Cheese
Cottage cheese is a great source of many essential nutrients required for the body to stay healthy and strong. It is packed with calcium and protein. However, just like other foods mentioned above, it contains high amounts of sodium. Studies showed that 113 grams of cottage cheese have about 350 mg of sodium, which constitutes 15% I’d the required daily intake value of sodium.
Asides from enhancing the flavor of cottage cheese and other foods, sodium also preserves this food and gives it an awesome texture. ThisThis is why it is almost impossible to find cottage cheese that has low sodium content.
However, according to research, rinsing cottage cheese just before consumption can reduce the sodium content by up to 63%. It is remarkable to see that the cottage cheese if its sodium contents have to be reduced, must be rinsed under running water and drained afterward.
Vegetable Juice
Vegetable juices, if natural, can be healthy for consumption. However, in order to preserve them, large amounts of sodium are added to these juices. This is why it is best to read the labels of vegetable juices you are about to purchase. However, some labels do not contain the exact amount of sodium contents in the juices. 405 mg of sodium is packed in just 240 ml of vegetable juice, which is relatively too high for consumption. You tend to add more sodium contents to your body when you consume large amounts of vegetable juices.
Salad Dressing
Higher amounts of sodium in almost all salad dressing brands come from natural salt. However, in order to add flavor to the dressings, more sodium is added to them during the processing stage. According to research, 2 tablespoons of salad dressing contains over 300 mg of sodium. This is quite high and important to look out for the sodium contents in your package and processed foods before purchasing them.
Experts have suggested making salad dressings on your own at home by using natural oils. This is considered safer than branded or processed dressings.
Pizza
According to research, most people get higher sodium contents into their bodies through the heavy consumption of pizza. This is because almost all the ingredients that are used to make pizza are packed with very high sodium contents. These ingredients include; processed meats, cheese, dough, and sauce. All of which combine themselves together to form very high sodium levels. This automatically means that when pizzas are consumed, especially in large quantities, the deposition and accumulation of sodium occurs. This, however, can be dangerous for you.
Experts have suggested that pizzas should be combined with other low sodium foods, or they should be eaten with green leafy vegetables or vegetable salads.
Sandwiches
Sandwiches, just like ham and pizza, are multi-ingredient food. This causes it not to be only delicious but also highly consumed by many people. Asides from the table, salt is used in flavoring the meat. Other ingredients like bread, processed meats, condiments, and cheese all contain their own carrying levels of sodium, of which a combination of them all could result in very high sodium levels in the body.
Cutting down on your sodium intake is essential, especially when you have to eat sandwiches. It is best to pick toppings that are 100% natural and contain little or no sodium content at all. Some experts have suggested sliced avocado, grilled chicken breast, and tomato as the best and safest toppings for your sandwiches.
Broths and Stocks
The broth and stocks that are packaged with meats, soups, or stews in order to flavor them have very high records of sodium contents. They are extremely high in sodium. Thus, foods that are packaged with broth and stock should be consumed with caution, as too much of them could lead to severe health conditions.
Fortunately, some foods with stocks and broths are now processed with lower sodium content. This makes it a lot more peaceful for you to enjoy these foods, and at the same time, eat safely without consuming excess sodium.
Boxed Potato Casseroles
A part of the sodium in boxed potatoes comes from table salt, while a part comes from preservatives. Half a cup of boxed potatoes contains 19% of the required daily intake value of sodium. This is quite high for the good of sic quantity. It is best to swap boxed potatoes for healthier starches. Some of the other healthier starches you can swap boxed potatoes for include baked winter squash or baked sweet potatoes.
Pork Rinds
Due to a higher preference for low carbs ketogenic diets, pork rinds, also known as crunchy pork skin, have become the new desired snack today. Although, the rinds from pork are an awesome addition to ketogenic diets. However, they have very high sodium contents. For instance, one serving of pork rinds contains a whopping 747 mg of sodium, which is up to 32% of the required daily intake. This is the highest so far.
In conclusion, sodium is an essential mineral that the body cannot do without. However, having too much of it deposited or accumulated in the body can be quite dangerous. It can lead to so many health conditions like high blood pressure, a condition that can weaken the heart over time. Thus, rather than eating foods that are high in sodium contents, it is best to either way them in moderate amounts or substitutes them with low sodium foods, coupled with varieties of fruits and vegetables. Most sodium-packed foods are processed foods that happen to get more of their sodium contents from preservatives and additives than from the normal sodium chloride.
