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Sodium Quiz Answers

1.    True. Sodium plays a role in regulating fluids and blood pressure in the body. Too much sodium in your system causes your body to retain water, which puts an extra burden on your heart and blood vessels. Reducing the amount of sodium in your diet may help you lower or avoid high blood pressure.

2.  200mg. Your body doesn’t need much sodium for daily functions and fluid maintenance. Americans consume an average of 3-3.6 grams (3,000-3,600 milligrams) of sodium each day.

3.  False. About 75 percent of dietary sodium comes from processed food; salt added at the table accounts for only about 6 percent.

4. Over 3,000 mg. many of our prepared foods contain excessive amounts of sodium (salt), which can make it difficult to notice our sodium intake. Read labels and choose fresh foods when possible, and resist adding table salt for flavoring. Instead, try seasoning with herbs and spices

5. True. When buying prepared foods, always read the nutrition labels for the sodium content. For example, foods with less than 140 mg or 5 percent of the Daily Value (DV) per serving are low in sodium. Watch for the words “soda” (referring to sodium bicarbonate, or baking soda) and “sodium” and the symbol “Na.” These products contain sodium compounds that count toward your daily sodium intake. For instance, 1 teaspoon of baking soda contains 1,000 mg of sodium.

6.  False. Chemically, kosher salt and sea salt are the same as table salt – 40 percent sodium – and count the same toward total sodium consumption. Table salt is a combination of the two minerals sodium (Na) and chloride (Cl)

7.  Tomato juice. Tomato juice sodium content ranges from 340-1040 mg for 8 oz., depending on the brand. One of potato chips has 120-180 mg.

8. True. Make a habit of carefully reading the labels of all over-the-counter drugs. A statement of sodium content must appear on labels of antacids containing 5 milligrams or more per dosage unit (tablet, teaspoon). Some companies produce low-sodium over-the-counter products. Consumer can’t know whether a prescription drug contains sodium. If in doubt, ask your physician or pharmacist if the drug is OK for you.

You can also take the pledge to reduce your sodium intake by visiting www.heart.org

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