Importance of low sodium diets |27 July 2018

While sodium is an important mineral for controlling the fluid balance in our bodies, maintaining blood volume and blood pressure, most people eat more sodium than they should, increasing their risk of developing serious medical conditions, e.g. high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke.

Less sodium in our diets can help to reduce our risk of such conditions and also prevent our bodies from swelling with extra fluid, decrease the strain on our hearts, allow our medicines to work better, and decrease any shortness of breath.

 
Image source: NephCure Kidney International

Below, the Nutrition Unit at the Ministry of Health enlightens us further on the topic, in an attempt to help the public better control their intake of sodium.

Salt is a mineral composed mainly of sodium chloride. Sodium is found in foods of most food categories, including naturally in some foods and it is also added to some foods during processing and preparation.

It is important to know that a large amount of the sodium we consume is found in processed food and food outlet meals, even if the food doesn’t taste salty. To note, some foods like baked goods may not taste salty, but they add up to major sources of sodium daily since they are eaten often.

Examples of foods high in sodium:

• Processed meat, poultry and fish, e.g. bacon, ham, sausages
• Frozen breaded meals, e.g. pizza
• Salted nuts, crackers
• Butter, margarine
• Regular and processed cheese, cheese spreads and sauces
• Bread, biscuit, pancake mixes
• Pre-packaged, processed mixes for potatoes, rice, pasta and stuffing
• Regular canned vegetables, olives and other pickled vegetables
• Commercially prepared tomato sauces and bottled salad dressings
• Commercial cooking sauces e.g. soya sauce, oyster, HP, etc
• Highly salted snack foods, e.g. potato crisps
• Vegetable yeast extracts, e.g. marmite
• Take away foods, e.g. meat pies, hot dogs, fish and chips
• Stock cubes, baking powder or soda
• Some cereals, e.g. corn flakes
• Chocolates and toffees

Examples of foods lower in sodium:

• Any fresh vegetables, fruit, meat, poultry and fish
• Fruit juice
• Eggs
• Low-sodium, drained, water or oil packed canned foods
• Milk, yoghurt, low-sodium cheese, e.g. ricotta and mozzarella
• Rice and pasta which has no added salt when cooking
• Low or unsalted items, e.g. low sodium crackers, unsalted butter or margarine, peanut butter
• Vegetable oils
• Beans, peas and lentils (cooked dry, without salt)
• Honey
• Coffee, tea, vinegar

Since sodium is found in so many foods, careful choices are needed in all food groups to reduce intake. The World Health organisation (WHO) recommends a reduction in sodium intake to reduce blood pressure and risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke and coronary heart disease in adults.

The recommended reduction is less than 2g/day (2000mg/day) of sodium (which is equivalent to 5g/ day of salt) in adults. An adult should therefore have ¼ teaspoon or less of salt every day.

WHO also recommends a reduction in sodium intake to control blood pressure in children. The recommended maximum level of intake of 2g/day of sodium in adults should be adjusted downward based on the energy requirements of children relative to those of adults. Therefore, children should have less than 5g of salt or less than ¼ teaspoon per day.

Tips for reducing intake of sodium:

• Read nutrition labels to compare sodium content of foods and choose products with less sodium. Foods high in salt have more than 1.5g salt/100g (or 600mg sodium/100g). Foods low in salt have less than 0.3g salt /100g (or 100g sodium/100g).
• Check ingredient labels for high-sodium food additives like baking powder, baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), sodium propionate, brine or other items that say ‘sodium’ like monosodium glutamate (MSG).

Some common food additives — like MSG, baking soda, sodium nitrite and sodium benzoate — also contain sodium and contribute (in lesser amounts) to the total amount of ‘sodium’ listed on the Nutrition Facts label.

• Fresh vegetables are nutritionally superior. However, if buying frozen or canned vegetables, choose ‘no salt added’ or ‘low sodium’ versions, or choose frozen varieties without sauce.
• When cooking, use lime juice and salt-free herbs and spices, e.g. garlic  & pepper, to flavour food instead of sauces like soy sauce, mixes and pre-packaged seasonings. Also, limit added salt when cooking.
• Avoid keeping salt at the dinner table.
• Cook foods from scratch at home more often to control the sodium content in meals and reduce on the intake of take-away and restaurant meals which are usually higher in sodium.
• Eat more fresh fruits, vegetables, fish, lean meat and low-fat dairy products. Such foods are low in sodium and high in potassium, and help to reduce blood pressure and the risk for other serious conditions.
• When eating meals from take-aways or restaurants, look for lower sodium options and request that sauces and salad dressings be served ‘on the side’, then use less of them.  
• Use sauces and condiments only in small amounts especially while cooking.
• Reduce your portion sizes (less food means less sodium).

References:

2015 – 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans; UCSF Medical Centre; Centre for Disease Control; Journal of Health and Medicine; UW Health; WHO Guideline: Sodium intake for adults and children (2012). http://www.who.int/nutrition/publications/guidelines/sodium_intake_printversion.pdf