In this topic, I'll be discussing foods and the amount of sodium that contain. This is just to give you all an idea of things we tend to eat every day and their sodium content. Keep in mind a normal daily sodium intake is 2300 mg and around 1500 if you have high blood pressure or on some other sodium restricted diet. Please check with your own doctor for your exact amount for your body!
Let's start with a turkey sandwich. Most of us tend to use slices of bread or buns of some sort, lettuce, tomatoes, turkey (deli-sliced or home cooked), at least one slice of cheese, and some condiment such as mayo and or mustard. Seems harmless enough, right? Let's see.. (sodium amounts are approximate. Please check the labels of the things you purchase for more accurate amounts.
1. Bread:
2 slices of white bread = 220 mg
2 slices of wheat bread = 300 mg ...Hmmm, you'd think wheat if healthier than white...
2. Lettuce - 1 cup shredded = 10 mg So, you'd probably use 1/8 cup, if that on a sandwich so this is a good thing.
3. Turkey - 2 oz deli-sliced turkey (which most of us tend to use) = 620 mg
3.5 oz of cooked fresh turkey breast = 52 mg Buy a whole turkey or a breast and cook it fresh and slice or dice it yourself. You'll also save money!
4. Cheese - Kraft American processed = 220 mg Who puts only one slice of cheese on their sammy? So, you'd have to double that in most cases. Low sodium cheeses are available! Check are your local deli counter or cheese monger!
5. Tomato - 1 slice red tomato = about 1-2 mg Not even worth counting even though most people would put 2 slices on their sammy.
6. Condiments:
Mayo - 90 mg / teaspoon
Miracle Whip - 100 mg / teaspoon
Yellow Mustard - 55 mg / teaspoon
Whole Grain Mustard - 120 mg / teaspoon
Honey mustard - 25 mg / teaspoon
Dijon Mustard 120 mg / teaspoon
Now for the math:
220 mg - 2 slices of white bread
620 mg - deli-sliced turkey which one who tend to buy or put on a sandwich from your local sandwich shop
220 mg - sliced cheese or double that for 2 slices
100 mg - mustard...let's round it off depending on the mustard you'd use.
So, you'd have 1100mg or so of sodium in one sandwich. Most people would call that a snack, not a meal!!! 1100 mg out of the 2300 mg daily requirement for normal people...almost half! What about the foods you'll eat for the rest of your day? And if you are on a sodium restricted diet of 1500 mg per day you won't be able to eat much more (or anything else) for the rest of the entire day!!!
This is not counting the other various things one would like to add on their sandwich or would replace like subbing ham for turkey with is usually cured in salt and MUCH higher in sodium.
The point of this topic? Think and read the labels before you buy something! If there is no label then ask the seller. Better safe than sorry!
