Sodium

June 2025

Consuming too much sodium can have impacts on your blood pressure. However, sodium does not mean just your salt shaker, it includes additives and preservatives that are rarely thought about in our food. Let's explore some unexpected places for sodium and some suggestions for ways to help manage your daily sodium.

How does Sodium impact my Blood Pressure?

The kidneys work to filter and maintain proper electrolyte balances within our body. One of those electrolytes is sodium. Too much sodium can contribute to high blood pressure. This is because sodium attracts water and encourages fluid retention. As your blood volume increases from the excess fluid, your blood pressure goes up.

Excessive sodium intake causes your kidneys to have to work harder to try and maintain balance and get rid of the extra fluid. Diuretics can be prescribed by your doctor in some cases to aid in fluid loss and help return to a more normal blood volume, which will in turn lower the blood pressure.

Unexpected Sodium Sources

For patients that have hypertension and/or chronic kidney disease, it is recommended to try and maintain a diet with less than 2,000 milligrams of sodium a day. That comes out to less than 1 teaspoon of salt. Many of the everyday, easy-to-grab foods that we all eat contains much more sodium than we think.

- 2 ounces of deli ham can contain about 570 milligrams of sodium (varies by brand), that is more than a quarter of your daily intake, and that does not account for other items on your plate.

- Canned soups can get tricky, and there is a wide range of sodium contents. A single serving of soup can contain several hundred milligrams of sodium, but the entire can has the potential to contain around 1800 milligrams of sodium, and that is almost your intake for the entire day.

- Anything that is boxed, canned, or packaged is going to have higher levels of sodium, regardless of their marketing, due to the preservatives used to keep them shelf stable. Check your labels for words like "Monosodium Glutamate, Sodium Nitrate, Sodium Benzoate, and Sodium Bicarbonate".

Alternatives and Moderation

Going out to eat is a wonderful convenience for when you don't have the time or the patience to cook a meal at home. Did you know that a single entree from most restaurants has close to, if not more than your entire daily recommended sodium intake? So how do you manage your sodium intake on days that you go out to eat?

- Be especially conscious of what you are eating that day and the day after to ensure you are choosing lower sodium options.

- Box up half of your restaurant entree before you start eating and take it home with you to enjoy it another day. This will help reduce the amount of sodium you are consuming in one sitting.

- Choose whole unprocessed foods (fresh fruits, vegetables, etc.) whenever you can. If it comes in a box or a can, it is going to have more added hidden sodium, even if it is marketed as a "low sodium" or "no salt added" product.

- Cook at home often, this gives you better control over what is going into your food and allows you to use those fresh products over the prepackaged ones.

Additional Resources

Websites, Articles, and/or Videos

AHA: Blood Pressure Myths

Cleveland Clinic: Hypervolemia

FDA: Reading Food Labels

Blog Posts

Kidney Korner: Sodium

Eating Healthy on a Budget

Sodium's Secret Identities

Community Events

A Brush with Nature

Literary Indulgence Book Festival

Downtown Art Walk

Still Have Questions?

We love to empower through education. Click on the button below to visit our website to get answers to some common questions, previous education topics, as well as other helpful resources.