Table salt, known chemically as sodium chloride, is made up of 40% sodium. It’s estimated that at least half of people with hypertension have blood pressure that is affected by sodium consumption — meaning they’re salt sensitive. In addition, your risk of salt sensitivity increases with age. The Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for sodium is 2,300 mg — or about 1 teaspoon of salt.
Still, average daily sodium intake in the US is 3,400 mg — far higher than the recommended upper limit. This mainly comes from packaged and restaurant foods, rather than from overusing your salt shaker. Sodium is added to foods for flavor and as part of some food preservatives and additives.
Check out the 15 foods that tend to be high in sodium — and what to eat instead!
