Always Check the Sodium in These 12 Healthy Foods

While there is a huge variety of healthy and nourishing foods to eat on a regular basis, there are very few foods that you can eat endlessly. After all, some fruits are high in sugar, some vegetables can cause bloating, and some healthy foods are surprisingly high in sodium. In other words, just because a food is widely considered to be good for you doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be mindful of your intake.

Meet the experts: Sapna Peruvemba, M.S., R.D.N., a plant-based dietitian and Ph.D. student at Loma Linda University; Kendra Haire, R.D.N., L.D., a registered dietitian nutritionist and founder of Radiant Nutrition & Wellness in Leander, TX.

Sodium, in particular, can be a tricky nutrient to track, since our bodies do need it. “Sodium is an essential electrolyte that helps regulate fluid balance and is necessary for nerve signaling and muscle contraction,” says Sapna Peruvemba, M.S., R.D.N., a plant-based dietitian and Ph.D. student at Loma Linda University. But as crucial as it is for maintaining these processes, consuming too much sodium can be harmful.

Read on to discover the dangers of excess sodium intake, plus the “healthy” foods that can be surprisingly high in sodium that you should be aware of.

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that adults aim to consume no more than 2,300 milligrams (mg) of sodium per day, with an optimal goal of around 1,500 mg per day. Why? Eating far more than this on a daily basis can have lasting consequences.

“Consistently consuming excess sodium over time can lead to elevated blood pressure and can also strain your kidneys,” explains Kendra Haire, R.D.N., L.D., a registered dietitian nutritionist and founder of Radiant Nutrition & Wellness in Leander, TX. Per the AHA, excess sodium may also put you at risk for an enlarged heart muscle, osteoporosis, stroke, heart failure, kidney stones, and stomach cancer, plus make you more likely to retain water and experience puffiness, bloating, or weight gain. And yet, the AHA notes that 90% of Americans consume too much sodium, an average of 3,400 mg per day.

While everyone should strive to keep their sodium intake in a healthy range, there are some people who need to be more vigilant. Per Haire and Peruvemba, these include people with:

• High blood pressure
• Type 2 diabetes
• Kidney disease
• Heart disease or other heart conditions

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Peruvemba adds that folks who have these health conditions should consult with their healthcare provider for individualized sodium recommendations.

“There are some foods that tend to be high in sodium, many of which do have health benefits,” says Haire. Most of these are processed and packaged foods, which account for the majority of Americans’ sodium intake, per the AHA. And while none of these foods are inherently “unhealthy,” says Peruvemba, the amount of sodium they contain may shock you.

Here are the foods experts say may contain a surprising amount of sodium, so make sure to check the nutrition facts before enjoying them:

• Salted nuts
• Whole wheat bread
• Canned soup
• Some canned beans and vegetables
• Cottage cheese
• Popcorn
• Salad dressings, condiments, and sauces
• Frozen meals
• Deli meats
• Vegetable juice
• Pickles
• Frozen shrimp

While the foods above may contain a sneaky high amount of sodium, that doesn’t mean you need to cut them out of your diet entirely. “All of these foods can still be enjoyed in lower-sodium options,” says Haire. That’s why Peruvemba stresses the importance of checking the nutrition label and the serving size before buying. “Some soup cans contain two servings, so eating the entire thing can add up quickly,” she says. “For packaged foods, always compare brands and choose lower-sodium options when they’re available.”