Low Sodium Diet

Pick up any American dish and one thing would be common is high sodium content. To put in other words, the common American diet is packed with sodium.

So this diet plan is apt for Americans as low-sodium diet program restrict the consumption of sodium to 2,400 milligrams per day. This diet aims to significantly reduce the consumption of sodium and sodium laden food.

Do not worry! Cutting down sodium doesn’t in any way mean reducing taste. With the help of spice, fresh herbs and other healthy goods you can add taste to food without the salt. Low-sodium diet also helps in improving heart function and blood pressure; it also helps in reducing fluid retention.

Many of us are not aware of the importance of sodium in their diet. Sodium is very critical for several physiological and metabolic processes in our body. On the other hand, having excess sodium can increase the risk of hypertension (high blood pressure). The optimal amount of sodium consumption in a day for any entity depends on many factors such as ethnicity, age, gender and physiologic needs.

How to reduce sodium consumption?

To enhance taste many people add table salt on their food. This is something that should be totally avoided as this is one of the major sources of sodium in anyone’s diet. Table salt is close to forty per cent sodium.

Anyone who is suffering from high blood pressure should avoid fast food and packaged food such as soups, chips, nuts, crackers, etc. as these foods tend to be high on sodium. Under low-sodium diet plan one can have a slice of whole wheat bread with jelly, an orange, black coffee, green tea, and a cup of cereal with milk. Whereas in lunch you can eat unsalted cracker, a peach, a cup of skim milk, unsalted tuna fish with lettuce.

If you have hypertension as a part of your family history, are prone to high blood pressure or are at risk of any other such disease; speak to your doctor and chalk out a diet for yourself; keeping in mind your physical condition. If your aim is only to lose weight and lead a healthy life; start a low-sodium diet today. In short, try and avoid salt in the food you eat.