The powers-that-be, doctors, nurses, dietitians, recommend that people take in between 1,500 milligrams or less with health problems and maximum 2,300 milligrams of sodium daily for a healthy person. For the record, one teaspoon of table salt equals about 2,300 milligrams of sodium. If you’re like most people in America, then you’re consuming way more than that amount on a daily basis.
What are some tips for calculating your daily sodium intake?
For starters, read the labels of the foods you’re eating, because these labels tell how much sodium is “in there” per serving. Know your serving size. You’ll often find a “%DV” listing, which is the percentage of the daily value of salt the average person should eat. If it’s five percent or lower, you should be good. Watch out for foods, though, where that percentage is above twenty.
If you like to do research, there’s a website where you can look up all sorts of information about various food products, including how much sodium they’ve got in them… it’s the USDA National Nutrient Database available at https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/search/list. Incredibly, there are some 220,000+ foods listed!
Much of the processed food we eat is high in sodium. Though sodium is essential for our bodies, we Americans tend to take in way too much on a daily basis. This leads to high blood pressure which can then lead to heart disease, cardiovascular disease, stroke and more health issues.
For those who like to add salt to the foods they eat, consider alternatives. Did you know Benson’s Gourmet Seasonings provide people with great flavors– without salt? If you’re on a low sodium diet and sad about the fact that your food choices seem so bland, Benson’s Gourmet Seasonings will help including their salt substitute. Not only are they salt-free, but they also have no sugar, no preservatives, no MSG, no wheat, no gluten and no potassium chloride. Yet they still taste great! Made from different herbs, spices, and vegetables, Benson’s Gourmet Seasonings are definitely a healthier alternative to flavoring your foods compared to salt!