Eat Less Sodium Sodium (known better as salt) helps your body balance the level of fluids inside and outside your cells. Your body needs some sodium every day to do this. But, most of us eat 3,000 to 6,000 mg a day — much more than we need.
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Too much sodium makes your body hold fluid. This means your heart has to overwork to pump this added fluid. So, unless your healthcare provider tells you otherwise, you need to limit your sodium intake to around 1,500 mg a day—that is less than 1 teaspoon (tsp).
Tips to limit sodium:
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• L ow-sodium means 140 mg or less sodium per serving. Try to keep your meals between 500 –700 mg of sodium.
• A void convenience foods such as prepared or skillet dinners, deli foods, cold cuts, hot dogs, frozen dinners or canned soups. As a rule, these are high in sodium.
• R ead all food labels for salt, sodium or things such as sodium benzoate or MSG. Look for Low-Sodium or No Salt Added labels on products.
• D o not cook with salt or add salt to foods after they are on the table. Use fresh or dried herbs, vegetables, fruits or no-salt seasoning to season your food.
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• E at baked, broiled, steamed or poached food. Eat these without breading, butter or sauces and don’t add salt. Go easy on the salad dressings. • A lthough it is best not to eat canned foods, if you do, drain the water off and rinse before cooking or eating them. This removes some of the sodium. Copyright © 2014 Pritchett & Hull Associates, Inc. DO NOT DUPLICATE.
• Stay away from fast foods. • E at fresh or canned, unsalted vegetables. These have less sodium than most processed foods.
Pritchett & Hull Associates, Inc. Bringing Patients & Health Together ®
Atlanta, GA
800-241-4925
Product # 364
Read All Labels For Sodium Content Always look at the label of any food item you buy. This will help you keep up with the amount of sodium in the foods you eat. Most of us call it salt, but labels say sodium.
Most packaged foods must have a label. For those that don’t, a list of ingredients should be provided. These ingredients are listed in the order of the amount used. So if sodium or salt is listed close to the top, beware. Look for other names for salt or sodium and take all of them into account.
Serving Size 9.0 oz (240 grams) Servings Per Container 1
Sometimes you may not think about salt being in a food item you buy—like a can of soup. You may not be aware that the maker has added salt or sodium to it. The only way to be sure is to read the label.
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When you look at a food label, you will see sodium under the Nutrition Facts. It will tell you the number of milligrams (mg) of sodium in 1 serving of that product. You also need to see what it takes to make 1 serving.
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs:
Calories Total Fat Less than Sat Fat Less than Cholesterol Less than Sodium Less than Total Carbohydrate Dietary Fiber
2,000 65g 20g 300mg 2,400mg 300g 25g
All you eat in a day should add up to no more than 1,500 mg of sodium. Start keeping track. It may surprise you how fast it adds up.
2,500 80g 25g 300mg 2,400mg 375g 30g
1g Fat = 9 calories 1g Carbohydrates = 4 calories 1 g Protein = 4 calories
Pritchett & Hull Associates, Inc. Bringing Patients & Health Together ®
Atlanta, GA
1 tsp salt = 2,300 mg sodium
800-241-4925
Copyright © 2014 Pritchett & Hull Associates, Inc. DO NOT DUPLICATE.