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Salt Sodium And Pregnancy |
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Late -
Pregnancy
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Salt Sodium And Pregnancy Sodium is a chemical that helps maintain the proper amount of fluid in your body. (Table salt, a compound comprised of sodium and chloride, is about half sodium.) During pregnancy, sodium can also affect your baby's system. Using too much or too little of it can cause problems. You need some sodium; you just don't need a lot.
During pregnancy, keep your consumption of sodium under 3 grams (3,000 mg) a day. Consuming too much sodium can cause fluid retention, swelling and high blood pressure.
You can't avoid something unless you know where to find it. With sodium, that can be tricky. It's in the salt shaker and in salty-tasting foods, such as pretzels, chips, salted nuts, dill pickles, soup and meats.
It's frequently used as a preservative in foods that don't taste salty, such as canned and processed products, fast foods, cereals, desserts, carbonated beverages and sports drinks-even some medications. Read nutrition labels. You can also buy inexpensive pamphlets at supermarkets and bookstores that list the sodium content of common foods and fast foods.
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