4 Information About Low Sodium Diets
Low sodium diets are the ones that limit the consumption of foods rich in this mineral. People who decide to follow this type of diet are those who suffer from conditions that worsen due to high levels of sodium in the blood. Some of these conditions are high blood pressure, kidney disease or heart failure.
In this article, we will present 4 important information about low sodium diets. Let’s begin!
Why do people need sodium?
50% of the table salt is sodium, the remaining element being chlorine. For this reason, ordinary salt is known chemically as sodium chloride.
Salt is the most important source of sodium in the diet. People consume another small part of this mineral through food and salt added to food during the manufacturing process.
Although sodium is essential for life, the body needs only a small amount. Consumption of salt can be harmful to health.
This mineral is essential for the body to be properly hydrated, for cell exchange to take place successfully and to maintain homeostasis of the blood, among other things.
How do you know if a food is low in sodium?
To know if a food is low or high in sodium, it is important to read the labels, as they mention the sodium content.
The amount of sodium is expressed in milligrams (mg). The value that appears on food labels as a percentage of the recommended daily allowance refers to the percentage of nutrients in a food.
In this regard, low-sodium foods are those that have less than 5% of RDA. Those with 20% or more are considered sodium-rich foods.
Other expressions you can see on food labels are:
Low sodium diets: benefits
How to find balance in a low sodium diet
Low sodium diets can help avoid all the complications caused by excess salt. However, as we already know, sodium is essential for the proper functioning of the body. Therefore, we need to find a balance.
Some recommendations in this regard are:
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