Sodium: To salt or not to salt?
Why Sodium?
What is Sodium?
 Essential mineral in small
amounts
 Electrolyte
 Table salt – Sodium and
Chloride (NaCl)
Function in Body
 Helps maintain balance of
fluids
 Helps transmit nerve
impulses
 Influences contraction and
relaxation of muscles
Function in Food
 Preservatives
 Inhibits growth of food-
borne pathogens
 Modify flavor
 Binds ingredients
 Enhances color
 Stabilizer
2005 Dietary Guidelines
 2,300 mg – Healthy Adult
 1,500 mg – High blood pressure, kidney disease or diabetes
 Average American consumes
3,500 mg daily
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/sodium/NU00284
High Sodium Foods
 Frozen Meals
 Tomato Sauce
 Soups
 Condiments
 Canned Foods
 Prepared Mixes
http://www.quitehealthy.com/nutrition-facts/food-labels/labelL218731.gif
http://www.quitehealthy.com/nutrition-facts/food-labels/labelL218731.gif
Sodium equivalents
 ¼ teaspoon salt = 600 mg
 ½ teaspoon salt = 1,200 mg
 ¾ teaspoon salt = 1,800 mg
 1 teaspoon salt = 2,300 mg
 1 teaspoon baking soda = 1,000 mg
Food Labels
 Sodium Free <5 mg/serving
 Very Low <35 mg/serving
 Low Sodium <140 mg/serving
 Reduced Sodium – Usual sodium level is reduced by 25%
 “healthy” <480 mg/serving
 “meal type” <600 mg/serving
Fat Free Healthier?
Regular Ritz
Reduced Fat
 135 mg/16 g
 160 mg/15 g
http://www.poundland.co.uk/images/21/original/ritz-crackers.jpg
http://d3hqdt8j93rgvn.cloudfront.net/Image/MEDIUM_8a78c6e02140d93101214442d0bb220c.jpg
Campbell’s Soup
Regular
Low Sodium
 890 mg/can
 140 mg/can
http://momcentral.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83452063e69e20120a5254647970c-800wi
http://eatlowsodium.com/osc/images/Campbell%20Chicken%20Noodle%20Soup.jpg
Sea Salt
 Grains obtained from the natural evaporation of seawater
 Undergoes little or no refining technique which allows it to
retain natural traces of other minerals
 Contains same amount of sodium as table salt
Potassium chloride
 Used as a salt substitute
 Provides the salty flavor and helps extend shelf-life
 Known to posses a bitter or metallic aftertaste
 Health risks involved with high intakes
High Sodium Diet Example
 Breakfast
¾ cup Cheerios – 159 mg
1 cup milk – 107 mg
Breakfast bar – 105 mg
 Dinner
2 cup Cheeseburger Macaroni
Hamburger Helper – 1620
mg
 Lunch
Turkey sandwich
2 slices bread – 205 mg
2 oz turkey – 680 mg
1 slice American cheese – 250 mg
1 Tbsp Mayo – 70 mg
Chips – 120 mg
16 oz coke – 60 mg
 Total= 3376 mg
(146% over recommended)
Low Sodium Diet Example
 Breakfast
½ cup Oatmeal – 0 mg
Banana – 0 mg
1 cup Cranberry juice – 35 mg
 Dinner
Chicken breast – 64 mg
2/3 cup brown rice – 10 mg
1 cup asparagus – 5 mg
 Lunch
1 cup pasta – 183 mg
½ cup marinara sauce – 525 mg
Apple – 0 mg
 Total = 812 mg
Sodium Intake and Disease
Let’s look at which diseases may be
related to high sodium intake.
Sodium health links
 High blood pressure
 Heart Disease
 Stroke
High blood pressure
 Also known as hypertension
 Normal 120/80 mm Hg
 Pre-Hypertension (120-139)/(80-89) mm Hg
 Stage 1 Hypertension (140-159)/(99-90) mm Hg
 Stage 2 Hypertension 160/100 mm Hg
High blood pressure
 Most people have no signs or symptoms
 Risk Factors:
 Age – Middle aged men/post menopausal women
 Race – African American
 Family History
 Sedentary Lifestyle
 High sodium intake/low potassium intake
 Alcohol and tobacco use
Sodium insensitive hypertension
 Resistance of blood pressure changes with decreased sodium
intake
 2007 study, Florida, 45 people, 1 year
 Goal was to reduce body weight by 7%
 Restricted diets
 Brisk walking 150 min/week
 Salt sensitivity was tested at beginning and end of trial
 Salt resistant participants were defined by lack of blood
pressure lowering after correction of obesity and related
metabolic abnormalities
Dietary Approaches to Stop
Hypertension (DASH) Diet Study
 412 Adults assigned to one of the following diets
 DASH diet: Emphasize fruits, vegetables, low fat dairy
products, whole grains, poultry, fish, and nuts
 Typical US diet
 Results: The DASH diet significantly lowered blood pressure
 Long-term health benefits depend on the ability of people to
make long-lasting dietary changes and the increased
availability of lower-sodium foods
Heart disease
 Number 1 cause of death worldwide
 Often caused by a buildup of fatty plaques in arteries
 Risk Factors
 Age
 Gender – Men
 Family History
 Smoking
 High blood pressure/cholesterol levels
 Diabetes and obesity
Research Study
 Follow-up study previously on a previous population of pre-
hypertension adults
 Individual and group counseling sessions specific to sodium
reduction
 Questionnaire given 10 years later found:
 Involvement in sodium reduction intervention lowered CVD
risk by 25-30%
Stroke
 Blood supply to the brain is interrupted or reduced
 Caused by a blockage in an artery or blood vessel leak or
burst
 Risk Factors:
 Family History
 Age – 55 or older
 High blood pressure/cholesterol
 Diabetes and obesity
 Tobacco and alcohol use
At-risk populations
 High blood pressure
 Kidney disease
 Diabetes
 African American
 Middle-aged or older
Reducing Sodium Intake
What are some lifestyle changes that you
could make to reduce your sodium intake?
Ways to reduce sodium intake
 Food items without added salts
 Unsalted nuts, seeds, beans
 Limit salty snacks (pretzels and chips)
 Avoid adding salt and canned vegetables to homemade dishes
 Unsalted and sodium, fat-free broths and soups
 Skim or 1% milk
 Low sodium, low fat cheeses
 Add spices and herbs to enhance taste
 Add fresh lemon juice instead of salt to fresh vegetables
Summary
 Sodium has many functions in food
 flavor, texture, preservation
 2005 Dietary Guidelines
 2,300 mg per day
 Read Food Labels
 High sodium intake linked to high blood pressure, heart
disease and stroke