Kids Kitchen: Sneaky Sodium
ID
348-827
Sodium is a necessary part of our diet. Sodium helps our bodies keep the right amount of water,
but we only need a little bit.
The most common form of sodium is found in table salt, which is called sodium chloride. Most foods naturally have at least a small amount of sodium in them. Processed foods, on the other hand, have much more. Sodium is an cheap way to add flavor and to keep foods fresh longer.
Rate Your Sodium Intake | ||||
How often do you… | Less than one time per week | 1 or 2 times per week | 3 to 5 times per week | Almost every day |
eat cured or processed meats, such as ham, bacon, sausage, hot dogs, or lunch meat? | ||||
choose commercially prepared foods, such as canned or instant soups, or frozen dinners? | ||||
eat potato chips, popcorn, corn chips, pretzels, or salted nuts? | ||||
salt your food before tasting it? | ||||
| add salt, salad dressing, or condiments such as ketchup, steak sauce, mustard, or soy sauce to your foods? | ||||
| If you have three or more checks in the last two columns, you probably need to cut back on some of these foods. However, not all foods contribute the same amount of sodium. Learn to read food labels and choose foods lower in sodium. | ||||
It is recommended that we eat no more than 2,300 mg of sodium –about 1 teaspoon of table salt – each day. To do that, choose lower-sodium foods more often.
Stop!These foods are often high in sodium. Limit these foods: | Take it Slow!Some of these foods are high in sodium – check the label to decide if it is a healthy choice. Go easy with these foods: | Go! Go! Go!These foods are often low in sodium. Eat more of these: |
Bacon Canned spaghetti rings Cheese Chips Chicken nuggets Gravy Ham Hot dogs Chicken noodle soup Olives Pickles Potato chips Ramen noodles Salted nuts Sausages Smoked meat and fish Soy sauce | Baked beans Biscuits Burgers Cakes and pastries Cooking sauces Crisps Instant breakfast cereals (oatmeal, cream of wheat, etc.) Instant rice Macaroni and cheese Ravioli Pasta sauces Pizza Ready-to-eat meals Salad dressing Saltine crackers Sausages Soup Tomato ketchup | Couscous Eggs Fish Fresh fruits Fresh vegetables Graham grackers Milk Old-fashioned oatmeal Pasta and rice Peas, beans, and lentils Plain popcorn Pudding Seeds Unsalted nuts Whole-grain breads Yogurt |
Sources:
United States Dietary Guidelines (USDA);
http://www.health.gov/DietaryGuidelines/
http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publications/DietaryGuidelines/2005/2005DGConsumerBrochure.pdf
American Dietetic Association (ADA);
http://eatright.org/ada/files/Get_Smart.pdf
http://eatright.org/ada/files/Mrs_Dash.pdf
Reviewed by Kathy Hosig, Ph.D., MPH, RD, Associate Professor, Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Rights
Virginia Cooperative Extension materials are available for public use, re-print, or citation without further permission, provided the use includes credit to the author and to Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Tech, and Virginia State University.
Publisher
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Virginia State University, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating. Rick D. Rudd, Interim Director, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg; Wondi Mersie, Interim Administrator, 1890 Extension Program, Virginia State, Petersburg.
Date
May 26, 2009