Facts of Sodium

Facts of Sodium

1. Sodium is a component of salt which is an essential ingredient of our diet. It is also known as sodium chloride (NaCl) in which sodium is 40% and chloride is 60%.

2. Sodium is an important mineral which maintains water balance in our body.

3. Sodium regulates the blood pressure with potassium.

4. It is involved in the proper functioning of both nerve impulses and muscles within the body.

5. It is added for flavour enhancement and to increase the self-life of certain food.

6. Processed and preserved food e.g. Cheese, condiments, fast foods, pickles, sauces soup, some frozen vegetables and canned food usually have high sodium content.

7. It is used as dressing for salad etc.

8. The body needs only a small amount of sodium to function properly. I. E, 500 milligrams /day. Usually. Fda recommends 2300 milligrams /day.

9. The sodium portion of the salt is associated with high blood pressure.

10. In India, hypertension disease burden which in the year 2007 was 125 million is expected to become 214 million by 2025.

11. It is essential to control the sodium intake which plays an important role in hypertension.

12. Salt sodium conversion will help us to reduce the sodium content

A. 1/4 teaspoon salt = 575 mg sodium
B. 1/2 teaspoon salt = 1, 150 mg sodium
C. 3/4 teaspoon salt = 1, 725 mg sodiu
D. 1 teaspoon salt = 2, 300 mg sodium

13. For optimal heart health, the American heart association recommends people aim to eat no more than 1, 500 milligrams of sodium per day i.e. approximately  tsp salt daily