Our sodium consumption is reaching alarming levels😱

We have been told that sodium is perfectly healthy, and that our body needs sodium to function. This statement is true but needs further analysis🧐. Sodium is healthy, but – like a lot of other things in life – it is healthy in moderation. Even though our body does need sodium to function, we very rarely are told how much of sodium our body needs.

According to the American Heart Association, the average American consumes more than 3,400 milligrams of sodium per day – which is well above their recommended maximum of 2,300 mg per day. They also recommend moving towards an ideal limit of 1,500 mg per day. We believe that the 1,500 mg limit is what should be observed as our body needs no more than 500 mg to function normally¹. By consuming 1,500 mg of sodium per day, most people won’t run the risk of dropping below this minimum required level, despite a varying amount of physical activity.

Is it difficult to cut back to 1,500 mg of sodium per day?

Given our current lifestyle and consumption patterns, the short answer is: Yes! To limit yourself to this healthy amount of 1,500 mg of sodium per day will take a concerted effort:

1.    Detox yourself: Our taste buds have become accustomed to high levels of sodium. As a rule of thumb, you should aim to consume about 300 mg of sodium per 100 g of food. This detox process takes about four weeks. Initially you will find that food tastes rather bland, but as your taste buds adjust to the “new normal”, you will start to find that food with less salt is just as tasty.
2.    Eat significantly less bought food: Given that you have no control over the sodium added to the food you order from a restaurant, takeaway or deli, you would need to drastically curtail your consumption from these establishments – unless you have the option to order food without salt and add it yourself (if needed). If you find bought food that actually displays the nutritional information, you will find that it most likely contains more than 300 mg of sodium per 100 g of food.
3.  Become your own chef: By preparing food yourself, you are in the best position to ensure that you stay within “budget”. You can still eat tasty food, but you need to be more creative:

o   Use other spices to flavour your food.

o   You can still use bought sauces; but ensure the sodium level is not excessive. You can still add a sauce that has more than 300 mg of sodium per 100 g as long as the overall meal including protein and carbs falls with this level.

o   Aim to eat most of your food in its natural form. Food in its natural form has very low sodium levels (a few mg per 100 g) – even fish that spend their entire lives swimming in salty water contain very low levels of sodium.

The benefits of reduced sodium consumption to a healthier 1,500 mg per day.

1.     A sizeable reduction in weight: Depending on the individual, reducing sodium consumption can reduce your weight by 3-6%. High levels of sodium result in the body retaining water. By reducing sodium consumption, your body gets rid of all this water. You will feel learner and should not loose muscle mass in the process.
2.  Lower risk of life-threatening conditions: High sodium consumption can result in OR contribute to high blood pressure and risk of heart diseases and stroke. Don’t fool yourself into believing that these two problems only affect older people. Eight percent of people who have heart attacks are under 50².
3.  Healthier food: By preparing food yourself you will consume significantly less preservatives and other undesirable additives. Food consumed as close as possible to its natural form is the best option, as it retains a high percentage of nutrients.
4.  Some extra cash in the bank: If none of the health benefits persuaded you yet, some extra cash in the bank might just do it – preparing food at home results in a material saving.

Salt consumption across the world isn’t looking good

We spoke about the US, but what is the consumption like in the rest of the world? The data below is outdated (2010), and sodium consumption levels have increased significantly over the last 10 plus years, but the map gives you a good overall indication of the problem. According to Harvard Public Health, Kazakhstan recorded the highest sodium consumption in 2010 at 5,980 mg (5.98 g) per day. Recent data reveals that China, which was close to 5,000 mg (5 g) per day in 2010 is now close to the 6000 mg (6 g) per day. Even back in 2010, the lowest recorded level which was recorded in Rwanda at 1,600 mg (1.60 g), was still higher than the prescribed healthy level of 1,500 mg per day. It is safe to assume that there is no country today that falls below the prescribed 1,500 mg per day level³. Reducing sodium consumption is one of the cheapest options to improve health, yet it is one of the most neglected options⁴.

References

 (1)    American Heart Association: “How much sodium should I eat per day?”( https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/sodium/how-much-sodium-should-i-eat-per-day) (accessed on 28 March 2023)

 (2)    UofL Health: “Is There Such thing as “Too Young” for a Heart Attack?” (https://uoflhealth.org/articles/is-there-such-thing-as-too-young-for-a-heart- attack/#:~:text=Heart%20attacks%20are%20mostly%20thought,less%20than%2050%20years%20old.= (accessed on 28 March 2023)

  (3)    Harvard Public Health. Magazine Of The Harvard T.H. Chan School Of Public Health: “Where’s the salt?” (https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/magazine/magazine_article/wheres-the-salt/)  (accessed on 28 March 2023)

 (4)    World Health Organization. “Salt reduction” (https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/salt-reduction#:~:text=Salt%20intake%20of%20less%20than,reduction%20in%20high%20blood%20pressure.)  (accessed on 28 March 2023)