Sodium Gotchas
High blood pressure is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death worldwide (American Heart Association). The main contributor to high blood pressure is a diet high in sodium. This is not an adults-only problem; 97 percent of children and adolescents eat too much salt, putting them at greater risk for cardiovascular disease as they get older (AHA). Sodium is an acquired taste and, therefore, the more sodium a child consumes, the more he desires the foods that contain it. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the recommended sodium intake is 2,300mg/day. The CDC says that most children ages 2-5 are close to that limit, but children ages 8-12 average 3,260mg/day. And older teens ingest even higher levels. Childhood is a time when good and bad behaviors are shaped that will potentially last a lifetime. As parents, we can take steps to help set our children up for a lifetime of success. Here are five everyday kid foods that are surprisingly high in sodium and some suggested alternatives that can serve as tasty healthier options.
Lunch meat
A popular lunch option for children and adults that can easily push you over your daily allotment of sodium with just one serving. Lunch meats to avoid are bacon, salami, pepperoni and bologna. Better choices include turkey (390mg), chicken breast (500mg), ham (480mg) and roast beef (407mg).
Cheese
It’s probably no surprise that processed cheeses are high in sodium. One ounce of cheddar cheese has 368mg, while one ounce of mozzarella has 178mg, and Swiss cheese has 54mg. For a complete list of sodium contents of different cheeses, visit FatSecret.com.
Canned veggies
Getting children to eat fruits and vegetables can be difficult at times. One cheap, easy way is canned vegetables, but one can of vegetables can contain approximately 25 percent of your child’s daily allotment of sodium. Draining and rinsing these vegetables before consumption can decrease this by 40 percent. An even better choice is buying the low sodium or no-salt-added canned veggies.
Condiments
My kids love any food that they can dip. Sometimes it’s a great thing (broccoli, carrots), but those dips all add excess sodium. Ketchup contains 167mg per tablespoon, ranch has 164mg and barbecue sauce has 265 mg per one ounce. Like many other items, there are brands out there that offer reduced-sodium products. Reduced-sodium ketchup contains 3 mg sodium per tablespoon, and barbecue sauce only 47 mg (HealthyEating.SFGate.com).
Snacks
Kids love snacks. It would be easy to say that we should only have fresh fruits and veggies, but for many of us that is unrealistic. Sodium can come in surprising packages. For instance, many people think popcorn is high in sodium. However, one cup of air-popped popcorn has no sodium. Alternatively, 10 salted pretzels have 1,029mg of sodium. Other foods you might find surprisingly low on the sodium chart include 1 ounce of nacho-flavored tortilla chips (201mg), 1 ounce dry roasted nuts (190mg) and 4 saltines (156mg). For those who crave sweeter snacks: one toaster pastry has 218mg, but one chocolate cookie has only 32mg sodium (UMaine.edu).
Jessica Heine lives in Olathe with her husband and two little children. She is a labor and delivery nurse.