You may have heard friends, content creators, or even healthcare practitioners stress the necessity of sodium management, but what exactly is the big deal? Let’s speak about the importance of sodium in your diet and your health, as well as how we deal with it at N4L.
Sodium is a mineral that is one of the components of table salt (AKA sodium chloride). Sodium, in the form of salt, is commonly used in baking to maintain moisture, preserve food, and enhance flavour. Many brands of processed foods, such as chips, breads, soups, deli meats, and canned products, include it.
Sodium is a vital component for the body’s fluid equilibrium, muscle and neuron function, and overall health. The amount you consume, on the other hand, is crucial. Consuming salt in excess of the prescribed quantity has been linked to stroke, heart disease, kidney illness, and hypertension.
Individuals should strive for a sodium intake of fewer than 2,300 mg per day, which is about 1 teaspoon of salt, according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The typical American intake, on the other hand, is 3,400 mg!
To put this in perspective, a large fast-food meal with soda contains approximately 1,840 mg of sodium. A shrimp alfredo dish from a fast food chain contains 2,950 mg, which is significantly more than the daily recommended intake. It’s not only eating out; processed foods account for more than 70% of salt in the average American diet. If someone eats out frequently or consumes processed meals, they may be exceeding the prescribed 2300 mg. When you consume too much sodium, it builds up in your blood, which sucks water out of your cells and into your bloodstream. This increase in blood volume puts additional pressure on the arteries and veins, raising blood pressure and increasing the risk of a heart attack or stroke.
So, what can you do on a daily basis to reduce your sodium intake and hence your health risks? Knowing how to read a nutrition label is an important skill. The ‘percent Daily Value’ and the actual sodium content are both valuable methods for evaluating how much a nutrient contributes to a total daily amount. Other salt content claims that are regulated by the FDA may appear on food packaging.
| Label Claim | What it means per 1 serving |
| Sodium free, salt free or no sodium | Less than 5 mg of sodium and no ingredient that is sodium chloride or contains sodium |
| Very low sodium | 35 mg or less of sodium |
| Low sodium | 140 mg or less of sodium |
| Reduced or less sodium | At least 25% less sodium than the regular product |
| Light or lite in sodium | At least 50% less sodium than the regular product |
| Lightly salted | 50% less sodium than normally added |
| No salt added or unsalted | No salt added during processing. If the food is not naturally sodium free, the statement “not a sodium free food” or “not for control of sodium in the diet” must also appear on the label. |
Content of N4L and Sodium
Our goal at N4L is to provide both delicious and healthful cuisine. We follow The Longevity Diet and adhere to all USDA and American Heart Association dietary requirements, including sodium intake. As a result, when you look at a day’s worth of meals from us, the overall sodium content is always less than 2300mg. Here’s a comparison of our meals to those found in restaurants.
Although we require sodium to survive, going overboard can be dangerous. However, eating a low-sodium diet does not have to be monotonous. We fill our meals with flavour by using herbs, spices, and flavour enhancers like citrus, ensuring that every bite tastes wonderful and is good for you!
When the quality of your food matters, trust Nutrition for Longevity!
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