5 Surprising Foods High in Sodium
Your body needs sodium to maintain normal blood pressure and function of muscles and nerves. But between salt-laden french fries and meats, Americans are consuming too much sodium, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report.
The CDC’s latest Vital Signs report found nine in 10 adults in America get too much sodium every day. Most of the sodium comes from common restaurant or grocery store items.
“Too much sodium raises blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke,” said CDC Director Dr. Thomas R. Frieden in a statement. “These diseases kill more than 800,000 Americans each year and contribute an estimates $273 billion in health care costs.”
It is recommended to consume about 2,300 milligrams of sodium daily. However the report found most adults consume about 3,300 mg of sodium per day, not including any salt added at the table.
It is no surprise – sodium is often found in potato chips, pretzels, popcorn and deli meat. But there are also many “healthy” foods that are high in sodium.
Cottage cheese is an amazing source of calcium and protein but it is also very high in sodium. A 4 oz serving of cottage cheese contains about 500 mg of sodium.
The rolled oats, nuts and dried fruit in granola bars certainly make you feel like you’re eating something healthy. But some brands of granola bars have as much as 160 mg of sodium per serving.
Diet Iced Tea
You’d think diet iced tea might be a great alternative to soda or juices that are high in sugar, but when you read the label, diet iced tea can have 85 mg of sodium per serving in a two serving bottle.
We all think breakfast cereals are more sweet than salty, but even brands like Raisin Bran pack high levels of sodium. One serving size of Raisin Bran has 342 mg of sodium.
While eating salad is healthy, the salad dressing might be another story. Ranch dressing has about 260 mg of sodium; light ranch dressing has even more sodium with 280 mg per serving.