Today I had the honor of being part of the Senior Issues Forum at the Codington County Extension Complex. It was a nice event with a good showing! During our open panel discussion, the topic of blood pressure and sodium came up frequently. Deb Sundem, Extention Specialist had a booth displaying various portions of salt and the amount of sodium in them. We recommend limiting your sodium intake to 1500-2400 mg/day. If you have high blood pressure and/or heart disease or are at risk for these diseases, it’s recommended to stay under 1500 mg to reduce risk for complications. This is very hard to do because salt is in everything! I included a picture of fried foods as processed foods and foods eaten out are typically highest in sodium. 1500 mg of sodium is less than 1 tsp of salt. Most Americans are getting anywhere from 3000-5000 mg/day!
It’s very important to choose low sodium options when you can and to try to use a salt substitute or herbs and spices over the regular salt when cooking. I was also asked about sea salt as some think it’s a better choice. Sea salt is processed differently which results in a more vibrant taste which makes some people use less. It does have a little less sodium than our regular iodized salt, however salt is salt! It’s best to use the salt substitute and/or herbs and spices as the sodium can really add up in a day!
In addition, a higher intake (5-9 servings) of fruits and vegetables has shown to improve hypertension and heart disease. Be sure to get plenty of these in your daily intake!
-Kelsey
