Health professionals caution against high-sodium diets, but how much salt is too much for older adults? To help residents at Bethesda Gardens Loveland make healthy choices, we've put together a quick guide to understanding the sources of salt in your diet and ways you can reduce sodium intake.
Let's look at the numbers. Your body only needs about 500 mg of sodium a day for optimal health. At most, you should consume 2,300 mg of sodium a day, according to the U.S. government's dietary guidelines. This is equivalent to just one teaspoon of salt.
Yet adults of all ages consume too much salt — a whopping average of 4,310 mg a day globally, reports the World Health Organization (WHO). The health risks are significant. When your body detects too much sodium in your system, it retains fluids to try to dilute it. This increases blood pressure and the risk of hypertension, cardiovascular disease and stroke. Since blood pressure tends to increase with age regardless, older adults should be especially mindful of the effects of high sodium consumption.
The bulk of sodium in American diets comes from processed foods, including deli and cured meats, packaged foods and condiments. But you might also be surprised at other top sources of sodium, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
For example, one serving of bread doesn't contain a significant amount of sodium, but if you have toast for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch and a dinner roll with your evening entree, the sodium adds up.
Use a chart like the AHA's Sodium Tracker to gauge how much added salt you're consuming. It might seem challenging to reduce your salt intake, but once you're familiar with sources of sodium in your diet, you can start making changes. Try some of the strategies below to modify your eating habits. Over time, your taste buds should adjust.
First, consider your overall eating pattern. Try to increase the amount of whole foods in your diet — foods that are consumed close to their natural state.
Fruits and vegetables should top your list. Fortunately, Loveland residents can take advantage of the fresh bounty of Colorado farms, including carrots, peppers, tomatoes, peaches and berries. Round out your diet with lean proteins and whole grains.
Aim to eat a wide range of foods for maximum nutrients. It helps to use the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan as a guide to help you make healthful choices.
While you probably know a bag of potato chips is packed with sodium, many foods that don't taste salty are as well. Commercially baked goods, canned soup and frozen dinners are all common culprits. Make a habit of reading the nutrition labels on food packages to determine how much sodium you're taking in.
Remember, the recommended daily value (DV) for sodium is less than 2,300 mg per day. Nutrition labels tell you how many milligrams of sodium one serving of food contains. You can also look at the % DV, which is the percentage of the daily value of sodium one serving provides. Low-sodium foods have 5% DV or less per serving, and high-sodium foods contain 20% DV or more per serving.
Fast food is especially high in sodium and should only be eaten occasionally. But even sit-down restaurant meals can pack in the sodium in marinades, sauces, dressings and toppings.
Ask your server for nutritional information and recommendations of low-sodium dishes. You can ask for sauces on the side, and request that the kitchen doesn't add extra salt when preparing your meal.
Consider sharing a dish with a friend, as restaurants often serve large portions. If you choose a smaller serving or take home leftovers, you can still savor your meal but will consume less sodium in one sitting.
Prepackaged foods such as condiments, flavored rice and instant noodles offer convenience but typically contain more sodium than foods made from scratch. Make your own food when you can. Instead of using cold cuts for sandwiches, for example, you can slice up roasted chicken or beef.
When cooking, reach for herbs that you grow on your windowsill to season foods. Garlic, lemon, spices and balsamic vinegar are other flavorful options that can replace salt.
Find ways to satisfy your cravings other than salty snacks. If you're inviting friends for a visit in your assisted living apartment, consider healthy refreshments rather than pretzels, chips and crackers. Unsalted almonds or popcorn, along with grapes or apple slices, provides a similar crunch and make a healthful snack.
Residents of Bethesda Gardens Loveland enjoy a variety of amenities to encourage a healthy lifestyle, including restaurant-style dining with "from-scratch" specials every day. We also offer a country kitchen for cooking classes and catering for family and special events to help you make the most of our assisted living community.
