You may not realize it, but sodium is everywhere – at least when it comes to our food. Consider that the average American consumes 3,400 mg on a daily basis, over 1,000 mg more than the advised limit of consumption. As it turns out, all that sodium might be coming from some surprising foods.
Instant Oatmeal: For those running short of time in the morning, instant oatmeal offers a quick and usually filling breakfast option. Unfortunately, it also offers a lot of sodium. A single serving of instant oatmeal may pack up to 200 mg of sodium.
Condiments: Who doesn’t enjoy putting ketchup on a hamburger or hot dog? While ketchup and other condiments may add a lot of taste to your burger, they also add a lot of sodium. In fact, just a single teaspoon of ketchup may have 150 mg of sodium, which is even worse when you consider just how much ketchup people use during cookouts. Of course, ketchup isn’t the only sodium fueled condiment – a tablespoon of soy sauce packs 900 mg of this substance
Canned Soups: As with instant oatmeal, you hardly need much in the way of cooking skills to make canned soup – simply pour it out, pop it in the microwave and drink up. The problem with canned soups is that these items are absolutely brimming with sodium, with many containing 800 to 1000 mg of sodium per serving. It should also be noted that many cans of soup feature two or more servings.
Breakfast Cereals: You might argue that breakfast cereals are generally unhealthy due to their high sugar content, and in many cases you would be correct. However, cereals are often also filled with sodium, to the tune of over 200 mg per serving.
Cheese: Quick question – an ounce of which common supermarket item has the same amount of sodium as an ounce of regular potato chips? If you answered cheddar cheese, you’d be correct.
Salad dressings: Salads are considered to be one of the healthier items you can eat. The same cannot be said of salad dressings, which are rich in sodium. A tablespoon of salad dressing can easily add 200 to 300 mg of sodium to your diet, and many people pour on more than just a single tablespoon.
