Is Sodium Dangerous for You? Separating Fantasy from Truth

[ad_1] <img width="800" height="534" src="https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/is-sodium-bad-for-you-1024x684.jpg" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="Is sodium bad for you?" decoding="async" srcset="https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/is-sodium-bad-for-you-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/is-sodium-bad-for-you-300x200.jpg 300w, https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/is-sodium-bad-for-you-768x513.jpg 768w, https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/is-sodium-bad-for-you.jpg 1348w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /> Sodium will get such a nasty rap, it's possible you'll be stunned to be taught that your physique wants salt to outlive (1)! It’s truly important. So what’s the deal? Is sodium dangerous for you, good for you, or a little bit of each?

Let’s unpack all this. Maintain studying as a result of I’m going to clarify how sodium impacts your well being. I’ll additionally provide easy suggestions that will help you navigate your sodium consumption whereas staying inside wholesome limits.

Why Sodium Issues

Sodium performs an important position in your physique (1). It helps regulate fluid steadiness, helps correct nerve operate, and is important for muscle contractions, together with your heartbeat (1). In different phrases, it’s not one thing you'll be able to minimize out utterly (1).

That mentioned, steadiness is vital. Too little sodium might be harmful and should result in signs like dizziness, fatigue, and much more critical issues in excessive instances (4).

However on the flip aspect, persistently consuming an excessive amount of—particularly from closely processed meals and restaurant meals—can enhance blood stress, which can increase the chance of coronary heart illness and stroke over time (1).

Fact be informed, many individuals devour extra sodium than beneficial. By some counts, 90% of Individuals eat greater than the beneficial quantity (5). That’s why consultants counsel you retain your each day consumption under 2,300 milligrams for common wholesome adults (1).

In the event you’re already coping with hypertension, it's possible you'll profit from a good decrease goal (6). Nonetheless, sodium wants can fluctuate primarily based in your exercise degree and sweat losses (6, 7)

With a number of tweaks—like cooking extra at dwelling and selecting lower-sodium choices when doable—you'll be able to strike the appropriate sodium steadiness and help your long-term well being (3).

The Largest Sodium Myths—Busted

Fantasy: All sodium is dangerous

Whereas sodium has a nasty repute, it’s a vital nutrient (1). Your physique wants sodium to manage fluids, ship nerve alerts, and help muscle contractions (8). The true situation isn’t sodium itself, however how a lot of it we’re getting, particularly from extremely processed meals and restaurant meals (1).

Fantasy: In the event you don’t have hypertension, you don’t want to fret

Even when your blood stress is in a wholesome vary at the moment, commonly consuming an excessive amount of sodium could stress your cardiovascular system (3). Excessive consumption over time could quietly result in hypertension or pressure on blood vessels, particularly in case your weight-reduction plan is low in potassium-rich meals like fruits, greens, and beans, since potassium helps steadiness sodium’s results within the physique (3).

Fantasy: Sea salt is more healthy than desk salt

Sea salt could sound extra pure, however the sodium content material is sort of similar to common desk salt (8). The crystals are usually bigger, so it's possible you'll get barely much less sodium per pinch, however not sufficient to make a significant well being distinction (8).

Sea salt proponents typically level to the upper mineral content material in sea salt; nonetheless, there are higher sources of minerals (particularly, fruit and veggies). So, there’s not a robust motive to devour sea salt for this function (8).

In regards to the Consultants

Samantha Cassetty, MS, RD, is a nationally acknowledged meals and diet knowledgeable, media character, diet guide, and writer. Cassetty is a former diet director for Good Housekeeping and the co-author of the e book Sugar Shock.

Emily Sullivan, RD, is a meals knowledge curator at MyFitnessPal. She earned her bachelor’s diploma and accomplished her dietetic internship at The Ohio State College, and obtained her culinary arts diploma from Johnson and Wales College.

Fantasy: Solely salty meals have sodium

Sodium isn’t simply lurking in chips and pretzels (1). Breads, breakfast cereals, canned items, frozen meals, and even some candy treats can include shocking quantities (1). That’s why it’s price studying labels—even on meals that don’t style salty (1).

Fantasy: In the event you’re not including salt to meals, you’re not consuming an excessive amount of sodium

Many of the sodium in our diets—over 70%—comes from processed and restaurant meals, not the salt shaker (2). Even should you by no means attain for the salt, dishes like soups, sandwiches, pizza, and salad dressings can shortly push you over your each day restrict (2).

Fantasy: Low-sodium meals style bland

Slicing again on sodium doesn’t imply chopping out taste. With the appropriate components—like contemporary herbs, spices, citrus, vinegar, garlic, and umami-rich meals—you'll be able to construct scrumptious, satisfying meals (2). Your style buds can adapt over time, so give it a number of weeks and it's possible you'll discover a distinction (2).

The place Most Sodium Actually Comes From

In the event you’re attempting to chop again on sodium, skipping the salt shaker is a begin—however it’s a drop within the bucket in comparison with the place a lot of the sodium in your weight-reduction plan lurks (2).

Packaged snacks, frozen meals, canned soups, sauces, deli meats, some breakfast cereals, and in style electrolyte drinks can all contribute a shocking quantity (1).

“Monitoring your meals may also help you grow to be conscious of sodium in frequent meals like bread, cereal, sauces, and even flavored drinks,” says MyFitnessPal dietitian, Emily Sullivan (2). “You may be stunned how shortly sodium provides up from meals you don’t notice have it (2).

Utilizing a software like MyFitnessPal may assist you to spot patterns and examine manufacturers. “It might probably assist you to see how totally different manufacturers examine when it comes to how a lot sodium is in the identical merchandise,” Sullivan provides. Small swaps—like selecting a lower-sodium broth or sandwich bread—can actually add up over time (2).

You don’t need to get rid of salt solely, however gaining a greater understanding of the place sodium hides can empower you to make extra knowledgeable decisions that help your long-term well being (1).

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/everything-you-should-know-about-low-sodium-eating-1024x683.jpg" alt="Everything You Should Know About Low Sodium Eating | MyFitnessPal" class="wp-image-57230 size-full" srcset="https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/everything-you-should-know-about-low-sodium-eating-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/everything-you-should-know-about-low-sodium-eating-300x200.jpg 300w, https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/everything-you-should-know-about-low-sodium-eating-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/everything-you-should-know-about-low-sodium-eating.jpg 1416w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /> You may also like

What You Ought to Know About Low Sodium Consuming

How A lot Sodium Is Too A lot?

Federal tips advocate that the majority adults hold their sodium consumption underneath 2,300 milligrams per day—about one teaspoon of salt (1). However the common American consumes much more, nearer to three,300 milligrams each day (1).

Nothing in diet is black or white, and sodium is an ideal instance. Some folks could have to be extra conscious about getting sufficient—not much less.

For most individuals, although, persistently excessive sodium consumption could increase blood stress and enhance the long-term danger of coronary heart illness or kidney points (2). That’s why sure teams, together with older adults and people with hypertension, could profit from even decrease targets (3).

Alternatively, should you’re an endurance athlete or work intensely in sizzling climate, your sodium wants may be greater than common (6, 7).

Good Suggestions for Managing Sodium Consumption

You don’t have to chop out salt solely to eat in a wholesome means (8). That mentioned, it’s useful to be intentional together with your decisions since sodium hides in so many on a regular basis meals (2). Listed below are some suggestions that will help you keep in a wholesome vary.

Monitor your meals

“Meals monitoring helps you notice high-sodium objects and see how totally different manufacturers examine,” says Sullivan (2). “It additionally makes you extra conscious of the place sodium sneaks in—like in bread, sauces, or condiments you won't assume twice about. (2)”

Prepare dinner slightly bit extra

Cooking extra meals at house is one other game-changer since quick meals and restaurant meals can have over-the-top quantities of sodium (3). “Cooking at dwelling lets you management how a lot sodium you set into your meals and snacks, which can virtually actually be lower than you'll discover in processed snacks, quick meals, and restaurant meals,” explains Sullivan (3).

Add taste not salt

You possibly can increase the flavour of meals with out relying solely on salt (3). Strive flavoring meals with contemporary or dried herbs, a squeeze of lemon or lime, garlic, vinegar, onions, and umami-rich components like mushrooms or tomato paste.

Search for lower-sodium packaged meals

“Many manufacturers now provide reduced-sodium choices, and people small swaps could make a significant distinction,” Sullivan notes (3). She suggests studying diet labels and in search of merchandise with 140 mg or much less sodium per serving that will help you keep inside beneficial sodium limits (9).

Steadily Requested Questions (FAQs)

How a lot sodium is secure per day? Most adults ought to intention for lower than 2,300 mg per day (3). Some folks, like these with hypertension, could profit from even much less—1,500 mg per day (3).

Ought to I minimize out salt utterly? No—your physique wants sodium to operate (8). Most individuals get greater than sufficient by each day meals, so the secret is to keep away from consuming extreme quantities (8).

Is pink Himalayan salt higher for me? Folks reward the hint minerals in Himalayan salt, however the sodium content material is sort of the identical as common salt (8). And the mineral content material is minuscule in comparison with what you’ll get in nutritious plant meals, like fruit and veggies (8). The query isn’t about which is more healthy–it’s about how a lot you’re consuming total (8).

Can I get too little sodium? It’s unlikely, however it might occur in excessive circumstances–say, should you’re vomiting excessively (8). When your physique’s sodium ranges drop too low—a situation known as hyponatremia—it’s often not since you didn’t eat sufficient sodium, however since you took in an excessive amount of water, which dilutes the sodium in your bloodstream (4).

What meals are surprisingly excessive in sodium? Bread, canned soup, salad dressings, cereals, sauces, and even some candy snacks can pack in additional sodium than you’d count on (1). All the time verify the label (1).

The Backside Line

Sodium is important to your well being (8). However an excessive amount of can tip the steadiness within the improper course. Many of the sodium in our diets comes from closely processed packaged and restaurant meals–not the salt we add at dwelling (2).

Monitoring your meals with a software like MyFitnessPal may also help you notice hidden sources of sodium and see how your consumption stacks up (2). In the event you’re on the excessive aspect, studying labels and selecting lower-sodium meals is an enormous step towards reaching the appropriate steadiness (2).