The diet is very light, so why is the sodium content so high? 6 hidden high-sodium foods, be careful not to step on them

Although I eat a light diet, I often feel thirsty after meals, and my face is easily swollen when I wake up. What is going on? Nutritionist Chen Yichun said that foods that taste very salty must be high in sodium, but some foods that do not taste salty at all, or even have no taste, may also be hiding high-sodium traps. Let us take a look at these hidden high-sodium foods!

Nutritionist Chen Yichun said that sodium ions are an indispensable mineral for the human body to regulate physiological functions and are also one of the important electrolytes in human body fluids. Sodium exists in the extracellular fluid of cells, and together with potassium in the intracellular fluid, it maintains the balance of water and osmotic pressure of body fluids inside and outside cells, and can also assist the normal functioning of the nervous system and muscles.

Too much sodium can cause high blood pressure and worsen kidney disease

Too much or too little sodium intake is not good. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that adults should consume less than 2000 mg of sodium per day, which is about 5 grams of table salt. However, according to surveys, the average daily sodium intake of Chinese men is 4,578 mg, and the average daily sodium intake of Chinese women is 3,567 mg, both of which exceed the standard, even exceeding the recommended amount by 1.5 to 2 times. If you consume too much sodium in your diet, it will not only make you thirsty and cause edema, but will also increase your risk of high blood pressure in the long run and even aggravate the symptoms of patients with kidney disease.

Most people know that foods that taste salty, such as pickled bacon, ham, candied fruit, and sour plums, are high in sodium. However, there are many foods that do not taste particularly salty but have unexpectedly high sodium content, which can easily cause people to consume too much sodium without realizing it. When long-term accumulation causes disease, they may not even know the reason. So, what are these hidden high-sodium foods and condiments? Let nutritionist Chen Yichun reveal them to you.

[Hidden Version of 6 High-Sodium Foods]

High sodium food 1: White toast

People often order ham, bacon and egg toast for breakfast. Although white toast doesn't taste good, two slices of toast contain nearly 500 mg of sodium, not to mention the bacon filling (sodium 610 mg/100 g), hot dogs (600 mg/100 g), ham (sodium 1000 mg/100 g), and other processed products, which also have a high sodium content. One bite of the delicious bacon and egg toast is equivalent to eating half of the sodium intake for the whole day.

Generally speaking, the more processed and buttery the bread is, the higher its sodium content. Nutritionist Chen Yichun recommends replacing white toast with whole-wheat toast for breakfast, and avoiding processed fillings such as bacon, hot dogs, and ham. Chicken or pork tenderloin can be used instead, and paired with a cup of soy milk or milk, it will be a healthy breakfast that will keep you full of energy all day long.

You may want to replace white toast with whole wheat toast for breakfast, and avoid using processed products such as bacon, hot dogs, and ham as fillings. You can replace them with chicken or pork tenderloin. Pair it with a cup of soy milk or milk, and it will be a healthy breakfast that will keep you full of energy all day long.

High sodium food 2: black vinegar

Whether you are drinking hot and sour soup or eating hot pot dipping sauce, you must add some black vinegar for seasoning to make it taste better. But did you know that the sodium content of 5cc of black vinegar alone is as high as 400 mg? The sodium content of a meal of hot and sour soup with 2 spoons of black vinegar is off the charts, so remember to use black vinegar with caution next time.

High sodium food 3/fish balls

A bowl of fish ball soup is a perfect match for eating fried rice noodles, but delicious fish balls are actually a high-sodium trap. In the process of making fish balls, salt is usually added and the fish paste is beaten until it becomes viscous. The more salt is added, the higher the sodium content. On average, every 100 grams of fish balls contains 600 to 700 mg of sodium. Especially if you eat bursting fish balls, the sodium content may be even higher.

High sodium food 4: Sandwich cookies

Many people treat sandwich cookies as an afternoon snack, eating one or two when they are hungry. However, don't think that sweet foods have low sodium content. Cream and artificial additives are added in the process of making cream, chocolate, and strawberry sandwich cookies. Take strawberry sandwich cookies as an example, there are 300 mg of sodium per 100 grams, which should not be underestimated.

Many people treat sandwich cookies as an afternoon snack, eating one or two when they are hungry. However, don't think that sweet foods have low sodium content. Cream and artificial additives are added in the process of making cream, chocolate, and strawberry sandwich cookies. Take strawberry sandwich cookies as an example, there are 300 mg of sodium per 100 grams, which should not be underestimated.

High sodium food 5/Cold noodles

When the weather is hot and you have no appetite, a bowl of cold noodles is the most appetizing. However, baking soda is added to the oil noodles used in the cold noodles during the production process to increase the chewy texture. The chemical name of baking soda is "sodium bicarbonate". Since baking soda itself contains sodium, and you add a spoonful of sesame paste, which contains 1000 mg per 100 grams, you will have consumed at least 1000 to 1200 mg of sodium while enjoying the fragrant and smooth cold noodles.

High sodium food 6/Noodles

Luffa and clam vermicelli, pork trotter vermicelli, fried vermicelli, just hearing the names of these foods can make your mouth water, but sorry, there is a shocking inside story that you have to let you know: the sodium content of every 100 grams of dry vermicelli is as high as 2874 mg. Eating a small bowl of vermicelli plus other seasonings will directly make your sodium intake exceed the recommended daily amount, making it a high-sodium food.

[Nutritionist's Tips]:

If a meal feels very salty, you might want to drink more water or eat some high-potassium foods after the meal, such as bananas, kiwis, pineapples, or various vegetables, which can help excrete excess sodium from the body. However, it is important to note that packaged fruit and vegetable juices usually contain sodium. If you want to avoid consuming excess sodium, it is best to make a glass of fresh fruit and vegetable juice yourself to avoid edema and high blood pressure.