Is Sodium Unhealthy for You? Separating Delusion from Reality

[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 foul rap, you might be stunned to be taught that your physique wants salt to outlive (1)! It’s really important. So what’s the deal? Is sodium unhealthy for you, good for you, or a little bit of each?

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

Why Sodium Issues

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

That stated, steadiness is essential. Too little sodium might be harmful and should result in signs like dizziness, fatigue, and much more severe problems in excessive instances (4).

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

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

In case you’re already coping with hypertension, you might profit from an excellent decrease goal (6). Nonetheless, sodium wants can range based mostly in your exercise stage and sweat losses (6, 7)

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

The Largest Sodium Myths—Busted

Delusion: All sodium is unhealthy

Whereas sodium has a foul status, it’s an important nutrient (1). Your physique wants sodium to control fluids, ship nerve indicators, and assist muscle contractions (8). The true subject isn’t sodium itself, however how a lot of it we’re getting, particularly from extremely processed meals and restaurant meals (1).

Delusion: In case you don’t have hypertension, you don’t want to fret

Even when your blood strain is in a wholesome vary in the present day, recurrently 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 food regimen is low in potassium-rich meals like fruits, greens, and beans, since potassium helps steadiness sodium’s results within the physique (3).

Delusion: Sea salt is more healthy than desk salt

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

Sea salt proponents usually level to the upper mineral content material in sea salt; nevertheless, there are higher sources of minerals (particularly, vegetables and fruit). So, there’s not a robust purpose to devour sea salt for this objective (8).

In regards to the Specialists

Samantha Cassetty, MS, RD, is a nationally acknowledged meals and vitamin knowledgeable, media persona, vitamin marketing consultant, and writer. Cassetty is a former vitamin 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.

Delusion: 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 stunning quantities (1). That’s why it’s price studying labels—even on meals that don’t style salty (1).

Delusion: In case 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 in the event 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).

Delusion: Low-sodium meals style bland

Chopping again on sodium doesn’t imply slicing out taste. With the best elements—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 you might discover a distinction (2).

The place Most Sodium Actually Comes From

In case 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 many of the sodium in your food regimen lurks (2).

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

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

Utilizing a instrument like MyFitnessPal may provide help to spot patterns and evaluate manufacturers. “It could possibly provide help to see how totally different manufacturers evaluate by way of 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 should eradicate salt fully, however gaining a greater understanding of the place sodium hides can empower you to make extra knowledgeable decisions that assist your long-term well being (1).

<img 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 almost all adults hold their sodium consumption below 2,300 milligrams per day—about one teaspoon of salt (1). However the common American consumes way more, nearer to three,300 milligrams each day (1).

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

For most individuals, although, constantly excessive sodium consumption could elevate blood strain and improve 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, in the event you’re an endurance athlete or work intensely in sizzling climate, your sodium wants is likely to be greater than common (6, 7).

Good Suggestions for Managing Sodium Consumption

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

Observe your meals

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

Prepare dinner just a little 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 house means that you can management how a lot sodium you set into your meals and snacks, which can nearly definitely 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 elements like mushrooms or tomato paste.

Search for lower-sodium packaged meals

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

Ceaselessly Requested Questions (FAQs)

How a lot sodium is protected per day? Most adults ought to purpose 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 reduce out salt fully? No—your physique wants sodium to perform (8). Most individuals get greater than sufficient by means of day by day meals, so the hot button 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 vegetables and fruit (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 could actually occur in excessive circumstances–say, in the event you’re vomiting excessively (8). When your physique’s sodium ranges drop too low—a situation referred to as hyponatremia—it’s normally 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 crucial on 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 house (2).

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