How Much Sodium Should an Adult Male Have?
Knowing how much sodium you can have every day can save you from chronic diseases later on in life. Sodium is everywhere. It is naturally in the body and in every single food you purchase at the grocery store. While it is necessary for regular body functions such as making your heart beat, too much can be a bad thing. Most of the sodium that the average American consumes is not through the salt shaker but from the foods that make preparing a meal or snack more convenient.
Set Your Limits
The 2010 Dietary Guidelines recommends that you get no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium daily -- the amount in just 1 teaspoon of table salt. This recommendation is 100 milligrams lower than the 2005 Dietary Guidelines. Follow the guidelines previously mentioned if you are a male between the ages of 18 and 50. If you 51 or older, African-American or have high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease or diabetes, limit your intake to less than 1,500 milligrams of sodium daily. Just 1/2 teaspoon of salt is equivalent to 1,200 milligrams of sodium.
How to Stay Within the Limits
Processed, canned and prepared foods are culprits for having a lot of sodium. There is good reason for this, as sodium helps to inhibit growth of food-borne pathogens, adds flavor and preserves food. Compare labels and choose the lower-sodium options. You may see foods labeled with sodium-related terms. "Sodium-free" means that there are less than 5 milligrams of sodium per serving. "Very low sodium" indicates that there are 35 milligrams or less per serving. "Low sodium" products have 140 milligrams or less per serving. In a product labeled "reduced -- or less -- sodium," the usual sodium level is reduced by 25 percent per serving. An item labeled "light in sodium" means that the sodium is reduced by at least 50 percent per serving compared to the regular product.
Too Much Is A Bad Thing
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 90 percent of Americans eat more sodium than is recommended by the dietary guidelines. Having too much sodium on a daily basis can increase your risk for high blood pressure, which leads to increased risk for heart disease and stroke. Heart disease, stroke and other vascular diseases cost the country nearly $300 billion in 2010. Fortunately, these chronic diseases can be prevented.
Cooking your own foods from fresh or frozen sources can help significantly in reducing your sodium intake. By purchasing your own fresh meats, vegetables and grains, you will need to prepare them and season them yourself.
Season your foods with different spices and herbs. Experiment with flavors you have never tried before. You can bring the world to your kitchen if you have the right items in your spice cabinet.
An Acquired Taste
You can cut back on your sodium intake slowly, and your tongue will adapt to less-salty flavors. Cut back by using less salt when preparing foods at home. You will likely not notice if the decrease is gradual -- perhaps 1/4 teaspoon less over a week or two. Eventually, you will find yourself beginning to enjoy the natural flavors in foods, and you will be on your way to a good heart-healthy habit.
Stephanie Gant is a registered dietitian. She lives and works in Denver and is a graduate of the University of California, Davis, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in clinical nutrition. She also attended Case Western Reserve University, where she earned a Master of Science in public health nutrition. Gant currently works as a diabetes educator.