II. Background
- Sodium Chloride (Table Salt, NaCl)
- Dietary Uses
- Preservative
- Seasoning
- Daily physiologic need
- See Sodium and Water Homeostasis
- Sodium intake of 500 mg
III. Dosing
- Adequate Intake of Sodium: 1500 mg/day
- Low Sodium Diet
- Recommended Daily Sodium Limit in Comorbid conditions (e.g. CHF, Hypertension): 2300 mg/day
- High Sodium Diet
- Typical Intake of Sodium in U.S. (excessive) > 3400 mg/day
IV. Preparations: Common Food Sources of High Sodium
- Breads
- Sodium 80 to 230 mg per slice bread
- Frozen Pizza
- Sodium 370 to 730 mg per slice pizza
- Hamburgers
- Hot Dogs or brats
- Sodium 500-600 mg per serving (may contain >1000 mg in some brands)
- Processed Meat Slices (e.g. cold cuts, ham, turkey, submarine sandwiches)
- Sodium 1100 mg per 3 oz ham or a 6 inch submarine sandwich
- Snacks (chips, crackers, pretzels)
- Sodium in hard pretzels 300 to 400 mg per ounce
- Tacos
- Sodium 200-300 mg per taco
- Burrito
- Sodium 900-1000 mg per burrito
- Soups
- Canned soup Sodium averages 700 mg per cup of soup
- Chicken Noodle soup contains 1200 mg per cup of soup
- Salad Dressing
- Sodium averages 300 mg per 2 tsp bottled salad dressing
- Cheese
- Sodium 300-400 mg per slice of processed cheese
- Pickled Cucumber
- Sodium 700-800 mg per medium pickled cucumber
- Canned Spinach
- Sodium 400 mg per cup
V. Adverse Effects: Excessive Dietary Salt
- Worsening of Hypertension
- Congestive Heart Failure exacerbation
- Osteopenia or Osteoporosis (due to related Calcium losses)
VI. Resources
- Salt and Sodium (Harvard)