Sodium in Your Diet: Why It Matters and How Much Is Too Much

Table salt is a combination of two minerals, sodium and chloride.

Why the body needs sodium

Some sodium is essential: it helps nerves and muscles work and keeps the body's fluids in the right balance. The kidneys control how much sodium the body holds.

Too much of a good thing

If you take in too much and your kidneys cannot get rid of it, sodium builds up in the blood. That can lead to high blood pressure, which in turn can lead to other health problems. Most people in the United States eat more sodium than they need.

How much

Choosing low-sodium foods is key to eating well. The Dietary Guidelines recommend that most adults eat less than 2.3 grams of sodium a day — about 1 teaspoon of table salt.

Some people are more sensitive to salt and should eat less, including people who:

• have high blood pressure, diabetes or kidney problems;
• are African American;
• are over 50.

Reading food labels shows how much sodium prepared foods contain.

Sources

• MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, "Sodium," drawing on the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. https://medlineplus.gov/sodium.html
• Rewritten in hubnx's own words.