Spot Sodium and Fight Hypertension

If you are suffering from hypertension, just keeping away the salt shaker may not be good enough. One of the main aggravators of hypertension is sodium and you need to watch out for it, as it creeps up from unexpectedly hidden sources. Most of the sodium in your diet is in the form of inorganic salt, principally sodium chloride. Table salt is the main source of sodium but other than this sodium is present in many other foods, which you may not even be aware of.

Naturally-occurring sodium in foods

Meat: The natural sodium content of animal foods is very high. Hence meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk and cheese are fairly high in sodium and should be taken in moderation, especially if you are on a sodium-restricted diet. Organ meats are richer in sodium compared to muscle meats. Among fishes, shellfish is a very rich source of sodium whereas other saltwater fish contain no more sodium than freshwater fish.


Vegetables: Plant foods such as spinach, tomatoes contain significant amounts of sodium and hence should be avoided on a low-salt diet. Fruits, vegetables, cereals, fats, sugar, unsalted butter and margarine are insignificant sources of sodium.


Water: Drinking water may also contribute to the sodium content. This may be present naturally or through the use of softeners that are added in the process of filtration to make drinking water safe. When the sodium content is in excess of 20 mg per litre, the daily intake of sodium through water is significant.
Sodium added to food

Table salt is not the only source of sodium that you add to your food. Unknowingly you add many ingredients that might be adding to the total sodium content.
Salt is added in preservation of foods, as a preservative in pickles and chutneys and in all the canned foods, making them all high in sodium.


Baking powder and baking soda are widely used in baking procedures but these products are also compounds of sodium.


Numerous other sodium compounds are used in food manufacture like sodium benzoate. This is the most commonly used preservative.


The most widely used seasoning in Chinese food is monosodium glutamate or ajino moto. This again raises the sodium content of food.


All breads and cakes use a compound of sodium called sodium propionate to retard the growth of mould. If you are on a sodium-restricted diet, bread should be taken in minimal amounts.
Sodium in pharmaceutical drugs

Many drugs such as laxatives, antibiotics, cough syrups and sedatives are high in sodium. Hence you should avoid self medication and take medicines as per the physician's advise only.

Simply avoiding salt puts you on a low sodium diet but consuming other foods rich in sodium can cause a rise in sodium levels. So watch out for these hidden sources of sodium and only then will you be able to control your hypertension.