Sources of Sodium
Most foods in their natural state contain sodium. However, most sodium in our diet is added to food during commercial processing and home preparation. Therefore, in selecting foods for a controlled-sodium eating style, you must be aware of both natural sodium content and amount of added sodium.
When purchasing prepared and prepackaged foods, read the labels. Many different sodium compounds are added to foods. When these compounds are listed on food labels, it indicates the presence of added sodium. Watch for the words "soda" and "sodium" and the symbol "Na" on labels - these identify products that contain sodium compounds.
Here are sodium compounds that you should try to avoid or use sparingly. Be especially careful to limit your intake of the first four items:
1. Salt (sodium chloride) Used in cooking or at the table; used in canning and preserving.
2. Monosodium glutamate (also called MSG) A seasoning used in home, restaurant and hotel cooking and in many packaged, canned and frozen foods.
3. Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) Sometimes used to leaven breads and cakes; sometimes added to vegetables in cooking; used as alkalizer for indigestion.
4. Baking powder Used to leaven quick breads and cakes.
5. Disodium phosphate Present in some quick-cooking cereals and processed cheeses.
6. Sodium alginate Used in many chocolate milks and ice creams to make a smooth mixture.
7. Sodium benzoate Used as a preservative in many condiments such as relishes, sauces and salad dressings.
8. Sodium hydroxide Used in food processing to soften and loosen skins of ripe olives and certain fruits and vegetables.
9. Sodium nitrite Used in cured meats and sausages.
10. Sodium propionate Used in pasteurized cheese and in some breads and cakes to inhibit growth of molds.
11. Sodium sulfite Used to bleach certain fruits such as maraschino cherries and glazed or crystallized fruits that are to be artificially colored. Also used as a preservative in some dried fruits such as prunes.
