Sodiumis an essential mineral the body uses to balance fluids and for the function of muscles and nerves.
Whilesodium can be found in several foods, the most common source of the mineral is salt.
The average adult should consume roughly1,500 mgdaily but no more than 2,300 mg of sodium daily.
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How Can You Tell Youve Had Too Much Sodium?
This increase in weight is due to water retention, as sodium causes the body to hold onto water.
This is referred to as water weight.
The medical term for a lack of sodium, also known as a sodium deficiency, ishyponatremia.
The symptoms and signs of hyponatremia depend on the severity.
For a mild case, you may not notice any symptoms at all.
How Common is Sodium Deficiency?
Due to the amount of sodium in the standard American diet, sodium deficiencies are quite rare.
However, there are simple ways to do it that will be both effective and easy.
Salt is made of sodium chloride.
So, while there is some sodium in salt, salt is not only comprised of sodium.
The chemical makeup of salt is 40% sodium and 60% chloride.
Salt vs.
Sodium
Salt is an additive used to help flavor certain foods.
Sodium, on the other hand, is often found naturally in foods.
It is also added to foods that contain a lot of preservatives or go through more extended processing.
They are the best options to choose from when wanting to cut some sodium out of your diet.
Summary
Sodium intakes are much higher than they should be for most average Americans.
The average adult should consume no more than 2,300 mg daily, with 1,500 mg being ideal.
Younger people and children require even less sodium, depending on their age.
While getting too much sodium is bad, so is not getting enough.
American Heart Association.How much sodium should I eat per day?
Augusta University JagWire.New evidence that females might benefit most from a low-salt diet.
United States Department of Agriculture.Dietary guidelines for Americans.
American Heart Association.Effects of excess sodium infographic.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Sodium in your diet.
U.S. Department of Health and Social Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.Lower-sodium foods: Shopping list.
