Best food groups: Salt, greens
Also consider: Swiss chard, canned foods, processed meats, frozen entrées and side dishes, cheese, snacks and other processed foods
What is sodium and why is it so important? First, let's set the record straight. Sodium is not a bad thing. How could it be, when it's required by every single cell of every animal on earth! Some may argue about its overabundance in the Western diet, but sodium shouldn't be targeted for annihilation; rather, moderation! Along with the mineral potassium, sodium is responsible for stimulating and carrying electrical impulses along nerve and muscle tissue. It also plays a large role in the kidney by maintaining fluid balance in the body.
When sodium levels dip too low, a condition referred to as hyponatremia occurs, causing the cells in the body to swell, which can lead to mild to severe health problems, even death.
Did you know? The most common form of sodium in our diet is called sodium chloride, a.k.a. salt, which contains about 40 percent sodium. Sodium chloride has many uses, including preserving and drying out foods. It is estimated that the average American man consumes upward of 4,700 mg of sodium per day; and the average woman upward of 3,100 mg, assuming a lower calorie intake for women compared to men. Ironically, the salt shaker is not the major contributor of sodium in the diet—it is sodium chloride that has been added to processed foods. While it may be true that too much salt can lead to potential health problems, those who have low blood pressure (hypotension) may benefit by adding salt to their diet.
How much is enough?
The DV for sodium is 2,400 mg, based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
The prevailing yet still controversial wisdom is that people should not consume more than 2,300 mg per day, the equivalent of about 1 teaspoon of salt. According to the CDC, "Reducing sodium intake to 2,300 mg per day potentially could prevent 11 million cases of hypertension and save billions of dollars in health-care expenditures; reducing sodium intake further would yield additional benefits." However, those who fall into certain categories based on age, ethnicity, or health challenge may benefit from capping their intake at 1,500 mg. These groups include anyone over the age of fifty; African Americans; and those afflicted with high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome, heart disease, and kidney disease. The average person in the United States consumes more than enough sodium, based on these recommendations, than is necessary due to our yearning for processed food. As a safeguard mechanism, the kidneys can normally control the amount of sodium in the blood; however, if a person consumes too much sodium over time, it can take its toll on blood pressure, bone health, and even kidney health. Just like the effects of sodium deficiency, if more sodium is consumed than the kidneys can handle, fluid retention will result. Eventually, this process will lead to high blood pressure causing a myriad of health complications including heart and kidney failure and other vascular diseases.
Supplements: Sodium pills can be purchased over-the-counter at pharmacies, but this should only be used if you have hypotension or are an athlete who is prone to "salty sweater syndrome," which is excessive sodium loss through perspiration. Seek professional guidance in either scenario.
Did you know?
A dinner of six to eight medium-size breaded and fried shrimp contains 1,875 mg of sodium—that's without fries or cocktail sauce!
1. Crab
Crab is naturally salty because it lives in seawater. In a randomized study, twenty-three healthy men were given 225 grams of crab or shrimp to eat every day for twelve weeks. Cholesterol was drawn before and after the test. Neither of the diets raised total or LDL cholesterol.
2. Table Salt
Most table salt is fortified with iodine to ensure that individuals receive enough in their diet to avoid goiters and avert hypothyroidism; however, there is a growing trend toward using sea salt and other designer salts that are not always fortified with iodine. One-quarter teaspoon of salt provides 71 mg of iodine.
About 40 percent of global use of salt is by industry for the purpose of making chlorine and soda ash. Other uses for sodium chloride include water softening and roadside salt to make icy roads safe.
3. Clams
Clams are not only rich in sodium but numerous other nutrients . Two animal studies found that when rats that had elevated cholesterol were fed a diet enhanced with extract from fresh clams, their cholesterol reduced significantly and so did incidence of fatty liver. Human research is need for this promising extract.
4. Lobster
Yet another seafood, lobster is rich in sodium, as well as other vitamins and minerals.
Ever wonder if something could be done with left over lobster shells? The shells of crustaceans are rich in a substance called chitosan, which has been used commercially to sop up oil spills and also on the home front as a dietary fat absorber. However, chitosan's effectiveness for weight loss is questionable. There's also lots of calcium in lobster shells: Japanese researchers were able to reverse osteoporosis in lab rats by adding powdered lobster shell to their diet for six weeks.
5. Walleye
Walleye is a fresh-water fish native to North America and is an excellent source of phosphorus, protein, selenium, and vitamin B12, and a good source of choline, niacin, and potassium. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources found that mercury levels rose nearly 19 percent in walleye between 1982 and 2005 and recommends that women of childbearing age and children younger than age fifteen should limit their walleye intake to no more than one serving a month. One study, measuring fish consumption, found that as walleye consumption increased, the serum levels of PCBs also increased. Walleye might not want to eat that! Sorry . . . couldn't resist.
6. Beet Greens
How can something that grows from the ground be high in sodium? Both beet greens and Swiss chard belong to the same plant family but for some unknown reason, beet greens are much higher in sodium! However, ironically, a British study found that those who drank 500 ml of beet juice had a significant lowering of blood pressure hours later, possibly due to the nitric oxide content of beets. The authors of the study said the results were as effective as if the subjects received oral nitrate supplements.
7. Cod
Aside from cod being a great source of sodium, a Norwegian study found that children who ate cod, as opposed to taking cod liver oil, had fewer cases of eczema. It was determined that eating cod early in life was more important than Mom's maternal consumption of cod in an effort to prevent eczema in her children.
Source: USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 24