It is one of earth’s essential elements, it is a part of one of the tongue’s sensations, it is also onyour dinner table. It is salt.
The debate about sodium intake has been ongoing with the general consensus being that too much sodium is a bad thing but recent research and studies have shown that sodium definitely has it’s positives as well as negatives.
The American Heart Association originally came out and recommended 2,300 mg of sodium per day to live a healthy life.  This shockingly comes to a single teaspoon of table salt which most Americans blow by, with the average person consuming nearly double this.
The greatest risk associated with high consumption is a higher blood pressure.  Sodium naturally forces the body to retain water which messed with the blood levels causing the heart to work faster which is the reason for the rise in blood pressure.  This is especially concerning because cardiovascular and heart related deaths are the leading cause of deaths for Americans.  This concern has prompted the American Heart Association to drop the recommended dose to 1,500 milligrams.  This decrease could lead to in a 25.6 percent overall decrease in blood pressure and an estimated $26.2 billion in health care savings.
Another estimate projected that achieving this goal would reduce deaths from CVD by anywhere from 500,000 to nearly 1.2 million over the next ten years.   This has led to people going out and searching for and consuming products that advertise low-sodium or even sodium-free foods.  However, people must keep on consuming sodium because it does have its benefits.  Sodium is essential to the body in regulating and controlling the body’s fluid levels.  Sodium also contributes to having a regular blood pH level, which is a great indicator of overall health.  Muscular contraction also benefits from sodium.
Additionally, Scott Hummel, MD, of the University of Michigan, said, “Low sodium content in the diet might increase the levels of aldosterone and catecholamines and other so-called neurohormones that might contribute to cardiovascular damage.” Taking both of these in consideration one must remember to be aware of the sodium in their food to make sure they receive the proper amount without overdoing it. The biggest contributor for sodium in food is not from the salt that people add from their salt shaker. Their biggest intake comes from consuming processed and fast foods served at a restaurant which are oversaturated and loaded with sodium. These are foods that in general are considered to be unhealthy.
Regardless on which stance one takes, it is important to remember to consume sodium, as with all things, in moderation.