6 high sodium foods you should avoid

Sodium is an essential chemical element that can maintain normal body functions, such as moving muscles and transmitting nerve impulses. However, too much of it will lead to high blood pressure, which is related to health problems like heart disease and stroke.

The recommended daily sodium intake is below 2,300 milligrams or about 1 teaspoon of salt. Aside from cutting back on table salt, you should also pay attention to some foods that are potentially high in sodium.

Condiments

Some condiments like ketchup and soy sauce (1,000mg per tablespoon) are sodium bombs. The flavor packets coming with instant noodles or rice dishes are also culprits of excessive sodium. Replace them with garlic, onion, lemon juice, and other natural seasonings.

Canned vegetables

Canned vegetables are convenient, but they can harbor rich sodium as a food preservative. Just take a look at the label, you’ll know a can of corn contains up to 340mg of sodium for one serving. To reduce sodium content, you can rinse the canned vegetables before use, or choose fresh ones instead that are low in sodium.

Processed cheese

Cheese is healthful, but pay attention to some of them (like processed cheese, buttermilk, and cottage cheese) as they can be much higher in sodium compared with natural cheese. As an alternative, opt for natural ones like fresh mozzarella or Swiss cheese.

Bread

Buns, bagels and rolls are frequently served as breakfast, but if you eat them in a large amount per day, you’re actually taking in excessive sodium. For example, a 6-in flour tortilla may contain 400mg of sodium. We recommend you to eat small amounts each time, or choose whole-grain bread instead.

Frozen meals

Some frozen meals may also contain too much sodium, which makes your body retain more fluid and leave you feeling bloated. Check out the labels and choose the low-sodium ones. Or, just make your own meals and freeze the leftovers.

Processed meat

Bacon, sausage, ham, salt pork, and hot dogs are all processed meat that is linked to plenty of sodium. Normally, a hot dog contains around 500mg of sodium, one serving (28g) of bacon contains 250mg. The sodium is used to help retain moisture, but for your health, you’d better limit the use of this processed meat.