By Lauren\nCapano, Dietetic Intern, College of Saint Elizabeth<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sodium, specifically low-sodium foods and diets, is a\npopular subject in health and wellness. You may have seen sodium mentioned\neverywhere from the grocery aisles to restaurant menus to your doctor\u2019s office.\nWhat exactly is sodium, what makes a food low-sodium, and how much sodium\nshould you really be eating? The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering\nand Medicine is a non-profit organization that provides expert advice to help\ninform the public on pressing matters of science and medicine. This includes\npublishing objective, high-quality nutrition advice. In 2019 they updated their\nprevious 2005 sodium and potassium recommendations, taking into account all of\nthe latest research on how these nutrients affect our health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sodium and potassium are two nutrients that are essential,\nor necessary, for human health. The National Academies have looked at them\ntogether because their functions are related, and they both have an effect on\nblood pressure. Knowing this information is important because high blood\npressure is a risk factor for chronic disease, particularly cardiovascular\ndisease. The National Academies 2019 recommendations for sodium and potassium\nintake are intended to promote health and reduce chronic disease risk in the\nhealthy, adult population. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The new recommended sodium intake for healthy adults aged\n19-50 is the same as it was in 2005. The recommendations for adults age 51 and\nolder have been increased to match that of the younger\nadult population. The National Academies report that 1,500 milligrams per day\nis adequate. We need sodium to balance the fluid in our bodies, send nerve\nsignals, and help with muscle contraction. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans\nrecommends that adults limit their sodium intake to below 2,300 milligrams per\nday. The National Academies recommends that if you are eating more than that\namount every day, that you should try to decrease your intake. This will help\nto lessen your risk for chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease.\nHowever, many US\nadults are eating far more than that amount. Keep in mind that 1 teaspoon of\ntable salt provides 2,325 milligrams of sodium, which is your recommended\nmaximum amount. Sodium is found in very high amounts in processed foods such as\nbread, pizza, cheese, soups, fast food, and prepared foods. Ready-made vegan\nfoods, such as frozen vegan entrees and canned soups, can have upwards of 1,000\nmilligrams of sodium in a serving. Even \u201csodium-conscious\u201d brands tend to have\nat least 600 milligrams of sodium per serving. Reducing your sodium intake will\nrequire you to pay a little more attention to the nutrition labels on foods\nthat you purchase. Foods with less than 140 milligrams of sodium per serving\nare considered low-sodium foods, and foods with more than 300 milligrams of\nsodium per serving may be difficult to include on a low-sodium diet. Another\ngreat way to lower your sodium intake is to try preparing meals at home with\nwhole, fresh ingredients. You can use herbs, spices, and citrus to add flavor\nto your food instead of using a lot of salt while cooking, and then add\nwhatever salt you need at the table. The Vegetarian Resource Group has some\nlow-sodium menus you can check out for ideas and recipes here: https:\/\/www.vrg.org\/journal\/vj2005issue4\/2005_issue4_lowsodium.php<\/a>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n The recommended potassium intakes have been lowered and are\nnow more applicable to the healthy adult population. The recommended intake was\noriginally established to prevent salt-sensitive rises in blood pressure in\nspecific populations, but it now reflects the needs of the general, healthy,\nadult population. Adult females should\nconsume at least 2,600 milligrams per day and adult males should consume at\nleast 3,400 milligrams per day. There is no upper limit for potassium intake,\nso it is safe to consume more than these amounts. We need potassium because,\nmuch like sodium, it helps regulate our body fluids, muscle contractions, and\nnerve signals. It also promotes bone density and helps to lower blood pressure.\nHigh potassium foods such as potatoes, apricots, lentils, prunes, adzuki or\nwhite beans, and tomatoes are just a few food choices that you can include in\nyour diet to get these benefits. Consuming a diet rich in a variety of fruits,\nvegetables, and legumes will not only help you reach your potassium goals, it\nwill also provide you with other vitamins, minerals and fibers that promote\nhealth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Sodium and Potassium\nRecommendations<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Potassium Food Sources<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Sources:<\/p>\n\n\n\n National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and\nPotassium.<\/em> Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. 2019. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Heart Failure\nNutrition Therapy. <\/em>Nutrition Care Manual. Academy of Nutrition\nand Dietetics. Nutritioncaremanual.org. 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Potassium. Fact sheet\nfor professionals. <\/em>National institutes of Health. https:\/\/ods.od.nih.gov\/factsheets\/Potassium-HealthProfessional\/#h2\n2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n U.S.\nDepartment of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture.\n2015 \u2013 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 8th Edition. December 2015.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAge Group <\/td> Potassium
Adequate
Intake
Milligrams \/day <\/td>Sodium
Adequate
Intake
Milligrams\/ day <\/td>Sodium Intake to
Reduce Chronic
Disease Risk <\/td><\/tr> Males<\/em> <\/td> \n \n <\/td> \n \n <\/td> \n \n <\/td><\/tr> \n 19-70+\n <\/td> \n 3,400\n <\/td> \n 1,500\n <\/td> Reduce intake if
above 2,300
milligrams <\/td><\/tr> Females<\/em> <\/td> \n \n <\/td> \n \n <\/td> \n \n <\/td><\/tr> \n 19-70+\n <\/td> \n 2,600\n <\/td> \n 1,500\n <\/td> Reduce intake if
above 2,300
milligrams <\/td><\/tr>Pregnant
Females <\/td>\n 2,900\n <\/td> \n 1,500\n <\/td> Reduce intake if
above 2,300
milligrams <\/td><\/tr>Lactating Females <\/td> \n 2,800\n <\/td> \n 1,500\n <\/td> Reduce intake if
above 2,300 milligrams <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n\n\n\nFood <\/td> \n Portion\n <\/td> Potassium (milligrams) <\/td><\/tr> Apricots, dried <\/td> \n \u00bd cup\n <\/td> \n 1,101\n <\/td><\/tr> Potato, baked, flesh and
skin <\/td>\n 1 medium\n <\/td> \n 941\n <\/td><\/tr> Lentils, cooked <\/td> \n 1 cup\n <\/td> \n 731\n <\/td><\/tr> Prunes, dried <\/td> \n 1\/2 cup\n <\/td> \n 699\n <\/td><\/tr> Tomato paste, canned <\/td> \n \u00bc cup\n <\/td> \n 669\n <\/td><\/tr> Adzuki beans, cooked <\/td> \n \u00bd cup\n <\/td> \n 612\n <\/td><\/tr> White beans, canned <\/td> \n \u00bd cup\n <\/td> \n 595\n <\/td><\/tr> Tomato puree <\/td> \n \u00bd cup\n <\/td> \n 549\n <\/td><\/tr> Sweet potato, baked in
skin <\/td>\n 1 medium\n <\/td> \n 542\n <\/td><\/tr> Banana <\/td> \n 1 medium\n <\/td> \n 422\n <\/td><\/tr> Spinach, raw <\/td> \n 2 cups\n <\/td> \n 334\n <\/td><\/tr> Broccoli, cooked <\/td> \n \u00bd cup\n <\/td> \n 229\n <\/td><\/tr> Cashew nuts <\/td> \n 1 oz\n <\/td> \n 187\n <\/td><\/tr> Black tea, brewed <\/td> \n 1 cup\n <\/td> \n 88\n <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\n\n\n\n