A dash of salt can really add up

It is so easy to get in the habit of adding a pinch or dash of salt to make your food taste better. Unfortunately, most of the sodium comes from processed food that we buy because it is convenient and quick to fix.

So, many of the foods that you may currently eat already have more than enough salt and most have too much. As much as we hear how horrible salt can be for us, sodium is needed in our bodies.

Not only does sodium help balance out the fluids in your body, it helps muscles contract and relax and helps in the process of transmitting nerve impulses. Your kidneys also regulate the sodium in your body. As with anything, there is a limit when you are taking in too much sodium. This can lead to high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease, and diabetes. It is important to learn how to read food labels so that you can monitor how much sodium your body is digesting.

There are key sources of sodium that are consumed in your diet:

A lot of the sodium that comes from food is acquired through processed and prepared foods like frozen entrees, canned soups and vegetables, and luncheon meats.
Condiments such as soy sauce and steak sauces all have sodium contained in them.
There are many foods that have naturally occurring sodium such as vegetables, dairy products, meats, and poultry products. Eggs, butter, and milk also contain sodium.