Sodium is a mineral found naturally in many foods. Your body requires about 500 milligrams of sodium each day to function normally. Just 1/4 teaspoon of table salt contains 500 milligrams of sodium. A diet of fresh, unprocessed foods without adding any salt at all would add up to 1,000-1,200 milligrams of sodium in a day. We get all the sodium we need naturally from foods without adding salt to foods. The greatest sources of sodium in your diet are table salt, processed foods (canned, boxed, frozen), fast foods and deli foods. Sodium is also found in baking ingredients, medications and beverages.

Why limit Sodium?

A diet high in sodium can cause thirst, shortness of breath and water retention (edema). This may, in turn, lead to high blood pressure, which can increase your risk of a stroke or heart attack and contribute to symptoms of congestive heart failure. Sodium restriction, along with weight reduction can lower blood pressure in most people. People with high blood pressure or congestive heart failure should limit sodium to less than 2,000 milligrams each day.

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For more information, please click one of the following links.

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