Surprising Sodium Content in Food

Excess sodium is a leading cause of fluid retention and unhealthy fluid balance. It can also exacerbate high blood pressure by placing an additional burden on the heart. Nutritionists claim that people in the United States consume as much as five times the daily recommended amount of sodium in their diet. While many people have put down the salt shaker, it takes more to cut sodium significantly. Many common foods have high sodium content, and some of them may surprise you.

It's no secret that processed foods contain a high amount of sodium, but just how much sodium they contain may surprise you. A one ounce slice of American cheese has 406 mg of sodium-that's over 20% of your daily recommended daily sodium intake. Chicken noodle soup is a childhood staple, but with 1107mg of sodium for one cup, it should only be eaten as a special treat and never with a grilled cheese sandwich. Chocolate pudding isn't salty, or is it? One half cup serving of pudding has 470 mg of sodium. A fast food fish sandwich has 882 mg, but even that isn't as much as the 1498 mg of sodium in just one cup of tomato sauce.

Even foods that aren't processed can have surprisingly high salt content. One cup of milk has 122 mg of sodium. Three ounces of tuna has 384 mg of sodium. Raw celery has 126 mg and three ounces of ham can have as much as 1100 mg of sodium depending of how the ham was processed.

If you are trying to reduce your sodium intake, there are foods that are naturally low in sodium for you to enjoy. Three ounces of steak has 55 mg of sodium. One fresh tomato has 50 mg of sodium, and unsalted peanuts have just 8 mg of sodium. A plain baked potato has just 5 mg of sodium. If you are looking for something to wash down your food, you can indulge in a diet soft drink without feeling guilty. A 12 ounce can of Diet Coke has 2 mg of sodium. Compare that with the 12 mg of sodium in eight ounces of tap water and you will see that diet drinks have been unfairly stigmatized as being a major source of hidden salt.

Cutting salt can help you stay hydrated and give you more energy if you have high blood pressure, but all people need sodium in order to maintain a healthy fluid balance. Before cutting your sodium intake, make sure you check with your doctor.