7 Foods with Surprising Amounts of Sodium

 
 

Sodium is sneaky. You can’t always see it or taste it, and surprisingly some of your favorite foods may be smuggling more sodium into our diet than you’re aware. With the help of this article from Prevention.com, we made a list of seven, sneaky salty culprits to be aware of:

Sliced Bacon

1. Bacon

This popular protein packs about 400 milligrams of sodium per ounce – and one slice tends to average around ¾ of an ounce – so while it’s delicious, the dose of protein you’re banking on may not be worth the risk.

Sweet Baked Beans

2. Baked Beans

We were surprised to learn that even the sweetest tasting baked beans have about 906 milligrams of sodium per serving, which is 25% of the recommended daily value! So, if you eat baked beans, beware.

Vegetarian Burger

3. Veggie Burgers

Often chosen as a healthier alternative to red meat, many people are unaware that these burgers are host to about 540 milligrams of sodium per patty – though sodium levels do vary depending on the burger brand.

Cottage Cheese

4. Cottage Cheese

One cup of 2% cottage cheese has about 746 milligrams of sodium. It’s recommended to stick with low-fat varieties, which have lower sodium levels, or to avoid eating this snack too often.

Sliced Bread

5. Bread

One slice of bread can contain more than 200 milligrams of salt, and if you’re eating a sandwich, that’s double the amount just for the bread. As an alternative, turn toward whole-wheat options, which tend to have less sodium content.

Yellow Corn Tortillas

6. Tortillas

Flour tortillas have about 950 milligrams of sodium each, and often tortillas go hand-in-hand with some sort of delicious filling so you can imagine how quickly the sodium level adds up. Instead, go for corn or whole-wheat tortillas, which have less sodium.

Vegetable Juice

7. Vegetable Juice (store bought)

The sodium in store bought vegetable juice is usually added to boost the flavor, so popular brands like V8 contain about 450 milligrams per can, which is pretty high on the salt spectrum. It’s something to consider if you’re reaching for these drinks mainly for nutrients.

When you consider that the American Heart Association recommends no more than 2,300 milligrams a day and moving toward an ideal limit of no more than 1,500 milligrams per day for most adults, an extra tortilla or glass of juice have numbers that can add up quickly. You should be considerate of your heart by limiting your sodium consumption.

 

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