Research hasn’t been complete on effects of sodium on health but a myth is usually being spread around that its intake leads to bloating and it’s being consumed in more than needed amount. The secret revealed says that it’s hidden in most unexpected and healthiest of foods. Facts have been recorded of an average amount of daily consumption by Americans to be around 3440 mg. FDA recommends in Guideline of Diets to be 2300 mg, that is, even less than a single teaspoon.

 

You’ll be amazed to know what Bonnie Taub-Dix, RD and additionally an author of Read It before You Eat It, said that salty foods develop a craving in people to eat more of them by appealing and watering their taste buds. It leads to overeating of all those processed foods devoid of notorious parts like fibers and amino-acids.

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Foods naturally high in sodium

Here are 9 foods that contain sodium in high range despite an apparent claim of being healthy.

What’s the source of sodium that is being consumed by us in huge amount? Processed foods that isn’t prepared at home. 75% of our sodium consumption occurs through them. Pickles are obviously stuffed with sodium but few other stealthy foods that contain sodium in high range despite an apparent claim of being healthy have been listed down here:

 

1. Bread and Pastries

Unexpectedly yet factually bread as well as pastry is rich sources of Na (sodium). It’s a necessary part of average American diets and surprisingly only a bagel contains 450 mg sodium, reveals Taub-Dix. It increases with varieties in pastries.

Salty Replacement: 

Sodium and other mineral contents are mentioned on labels along with their quantity, so they need to be checked for nutritious foods even if it is salty. Whole grain bread with about 200 mg sodium per slice is reasonable and can help you limit excessive sodium intake

 

2. Nuts and Nut Butters

A New-York’s nutritionist from Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Alissa Rumsey investigated various brands and discovered that mostly 130-160 mg of Na (sodium) is being added by majority of the brands. It may appear inconsiderable amount but when bread and butter are compiled, their sodium content aggregate graph goes up.

 

Salty Replacement:

Go for non-salted butter and nuts or prepare it at home devoid of unwanted salts.

 READ ALSO: The Reason We Eat Butter Instead of Margarine

3. Packaged Cereals

Apparently, sugar loaded cereals have high sodium components for being in the category of ‘processed foods’, reveals Rumsey.

 

Salty Replacement:

Shredded and plain wheat and oatmeal cereals have about 170 mg of sodium content in each serving. Go for hot cereal for example oatmeal to avoid excessive sodium content

 

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4. Cottage Cheese

Surprisingly, the notoriously known as diet food, cottage cheese boosts sodium content by 1,000 mg per single cup of it.

 

Salty Replacement:

Cottage cheese can be substituted with Greek yogurt as the latter as even less than hundred mg of Na (sodium) per each cup of yogurt. It’s been recommended by Jennifer Christman, who is a nutritional manager at Medifest for its low sodium content.

 

5. Ketchup

Even 2 tbsp of ketchup has 300 mg of sodium and the salted processed burger or fries that you are having create a heap of sodium in a single meal, reveals Taub-Dix. Even if it’s pizza or spaghetti sauce, there’s no difference.

Salty Replacement:

Instead of filling up all the ketchup on your burgers have some slices of tomatoes in it. Measure with teaspoon the ketchup you’ll be having. Instead of jars of sauces, get chopped tomatoes which are then seasoned with garlic and olive oil.

 

6. Sports Drinks

In terms of health, no benefits are provided to athletes but the energizing electrolytes are sodium, reveals Christman.

 

Salty Replacement:

It’s best to skip them as Christman revealed that people require plain pure water to get hydrated after an exhausting one-hour exercise and they can boost their electrolytes via healthy food that they consume.

 

READ MORE: Dangerous Side Effects Of Energy Drinks: Intake of energy drinks increase your heart attack risk within 90 minutes of consumption

7. Bottled Salad Dressings

Light salad dressings like vinaigrettes saturate your leafy greens with salts and sugar.

 

Salty Replacement:

Two parts of oil with one part of vinegar with crushed garlic makes a good healthy replacement; then add whatever herbs and vegetables you like to add.

 

8. Fat-free or Low-fat Foods

When the food is made fat-free, various other appetizing sugars and sodium contents are added to attract and engage customers, reveals Brigitte Zaitlin, who is nutritionist based in New York.

 

Salty Replacement:

Full-fat dairy products are better to satiate you properly as compared to non-fat salted replacements.

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9. Canned Eatables

Soups (organic or inorganic) are stuffed with sodium. Canned vegetables, on the other hand, are not less sinful as the canned foods need to be preserved. For preservation process, sodium is employed in excessive amounts. Even extensive rinsing of vegetables can’t rid them off of excessive salts, reveals Zaitlin.

 

Salty Replacement:

Go for fresh vegetables according to their seasons of production. Vegetable soups should be prepared at home for healthier life.

 

The aforementioned foods contain lots of salt which are not good for the body. You should use the replacement suggested in the article.

 

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