Sodium is the name of an element that is soft and silvery white in appearance. Usually found inside as well as outside the body, in combination with other elements, it is consumed in the form of sodium chloride. Sodium is highly reactive, alkaline, metallic and malleable in nature and is essential for regulation of blood and body fluids. Apart from that, transmission of nerve impulses, heart activity, and certain metabolic functions in the human body also require the presence of this particular element. Plants are the only living beings that do not require sodium for their survival. Let us explore the list of foods that are rich in sodium.
List Of Foods High In Sodium
- Beet Greens
- Beets
- Black-eyed beans
- Buttermilk
- Canned food
- Celery
- Cheese
- Chick peas
- Corn meal
- Dry lotus stems
- Fish
- Fruits
- Garbanzo beans
- Kelp
- Leafy vegetables
- Legumes
- Meat
- Milk
- Olives
- Oysters
- Pulses
- Salt
- Salted butter or margarine
- Sauces and seasonings
- Sauerkraut
- Self-rising flour
- Shrimp
- Spinach
- Swiss Chard
- Wakame
- Whelks
Benefits of Sodium
- Sodium helps in maintaining the water balance of the body. It helps in pumping water in the cells and regulating the amount of extra cellular fluid in the body.
- Sunstroke or heat exhaustion can be dealt with, by consuming food items rich in sodium, as they successfully replace the loss of essential electrolytes such as salt and water.
- Did you know that deficiency of sodium could lead to confusion and feelings of lethargy? Right intake of sodium enhances brain activity and keeps the mind sharp. Remember, human brain is extremely sensitive to changing sodium levels in the body.
- Muscle cramps can be avoided by taking a diet rich in sodium. The problem is usually seen in the summer months, due to electrolyte imbalance and dehydration. While water keeps the body hydrated, sodium restores the amount of electrolyte.
- All men and women who are overtly concerned about their looks and want to look young forever should start having foods rich in sodium. They will help you keep the skin youthful and glowing, which is why it is an important hydrating product of almost all anti-aging creams.
- Sodium helps in the absorption of glucose by cells for smooth transportations of nutrients in body cell membranes.
- Sodium plays a pivotal role in maintaining healthy functioning of the heart. Apart from upholding the contraction of heart, it also maintains the blood pressure levels of the human body.
- Excess of carbon dioxide in the body is not beneficial for healthy living. Sodium helps in removing excess amount of carbon dioxide accumulated in the body.
- Another important benefit of sodium is that it balances the osmotic pressure in the human body, by regulating the fluid in body cells.
- Sodium helps in balancing positively charged and negatively charged ions, as it shares an association with chlorides and bicarbonates, which help in maintaining a sound balance between the two types.