Sodium

Yes, your body needs sodium. Salt regulates blood pressure and keeps your muscles and nerves humming. But like Christmas carols crooned by chipmunks, more isn't better. A small percent of people with high blood pressure are extremely salt-sensitive. If... Full Answer

Naturally, fruits and vegetables are low in sodium as well as other whole foods like grains, nuts, seeds, lean meats and poultry. You can easily avoid excessive sodium consumption by avoiding processed foods like deli meats, cheeses, boxed soups and... Full Answer

Too much sodium (dietary salt) can cause you to excrete excessive amounts of calcium in your urine, depriving your bones of this important nutrient. To lower your sodium consumption, limit canned foods, processed foods, and fast foods. Take the RealAge... Full Answer

Getting just a smidge less of this in your diet could really help your heart. We're talking about salt. In a recent study, eating roughly one less teaspoon of salt a day was associated with a significantly lower risk of having a stroke or... Full Answer

Numerous studies have found that high consumption of sodium is associated with higher blood pressure in some, and perhaps all, people. The most famous was the Intersalt study, which evaluated sodium consumption in over ten thousand people in fifty-two... Full Answer

One of the advantages of making gradual changes in your salt intake is that your palate will begin to adapt. Even though salt is one of the four basic tastes (salty, sour, bitter, sweet), if you reduce your intake slowly, at first your food may taste as... Full Answer

Table salt (sodium chloride; NaCl) is the most common form of dietary sodium. Other sodium salts exist in the diet, including sodium bicarbonate (baking soda; NaHCO3) and sodium acetate. Sodium is necessary for the function of nerves and muscles, as... Full Answer

Table salt is made up of two minerals: sodium and chloride. Common table salt is 40% sodium and 60% chloride. Although some may claim that "sea salt" is healthier, it generally contains the same amount of sodium as table salt. Full Answer

The following is a list of high-sodium foods: Bacon, salt pork, sausages, scrapple, ham, dried beef, tongue (smoked), corned beef, frankfurters, cold cuts, canned meat, canned seafood or fish (except those canned in water without salt) Processed... Full Answer

Here are a few ways you can help your family shake the salt habit: Prepare foods with less, and eventually no, salt -- Your taste for salt will gradually decrease over time. Remember: when you cook at home, you control the ingredients. Flavor... Full Answer