All these flavors, and you choose to be salty.
Sure, we all love salt. It adds flavor. It preserves food. It's good for the skin. But when it comes to your kidneys, salt is...
At best, a frenemy
At worst, a villain
Here's the salty lowdown
Your body needs to filter blood through your kidneys in order to remove excess water. This requires a balance of sodium and potassium. But a high sodium diet disrupts this balance, causing your kidneys to work harder. What's more, studies have linked excess sodium to an uptick in the amount of protein found in urine, which is a major risk factor for reduced kidney function--and by extension, kidney disease.
In other words, too much of a good thing, and your kidneys may suffer.
Now, imaging grappling with this reality while working with only one kidney. It's not fun. And I'll be honest, I haven't been the best at controlling my sodium intake, though I'm trying really hard. But I've learned to make better choices thanks to my cheat sheet of low sodium swaps. Even one simple change--like replacing sea salt with fresh lemon juice--can lower your sodium intake by 580mg.
All in all, by reducing my sodium intake, I am allowing my remaining kidney to run at its optimal function, which means I can optimize my performance without sacrificing my health. Check out some of my food swaps below.
If not this, then that: 6 low sodium food swaps
High sodium foods:
Feta | sodium: 312mg
Bread crumbs | sodium: 395mg
Sea salt | sodium: 581mg
White bread | sodium: 491mg
Soy sauce | sodium: 280mg
Cream of wheat | sodium: 331mg
Trade...
feta for goat cheese
Per 28-gram (1 oz) serving: Protein: 5g | Carbs: 1g | Fat: 6g
Sodium: 104mg
High in calcium
Better tolerated
Good source of phosphorous
Good source of vitamins A & B
bread crumbs for rolled oats
Per 40-gram serving : Protein: 3g | Carbs: 25g | Fiber: 4g | Fat: 6g
Sodium: 50mg
Great source of Vitamin B1
Rich in antioxidants
Source of beta-glucan*
Rich in manganese
sea salt for fresh lemon juice
Per 100 ml serving: Protein: 0g | Carbs: 9g | Fiber: 0g | Fat: 0g
Sodium: 1mg
High in Vitamin C
Good source of fiber
Rich in plant compounds
Source of citrate
white bread for sprouted bread
Per 50-gram serving: Protein: 6g | Carbs: 22g | Fiber: 6g | Fat: 1g
Sodium: 105mg
Packed with manganese
Source of digestible proteins
Rich in fiber
High in nutrients
soy sauce for coconut aminos
Per 5-ml serving: Protein: 0g | Carbs: 1g | Fiber: 0g | Fat: 0g
Sodium: 90mg
Gluten-free
Packed with iron
Good source of B-vitamins
Good source of calcium
cream of wheat for cream of rice
Per 45-gram serving (dry): Protein: 2g | Carbs: 36g | Fiber: 4g | Fat: 0g
Sodium: 0mg
Gluten-free
Calorie-dense
Great source of iron
Packed with essential nutrients