Salt, commonly referred to as sodium is one of the most common nutrients in human diets and it is known to naturally exist in varying degrees in many of the foods we eat including fruits, whole grains, nuts, vegetables, and meat.

Sodium also exists in high quantities, especially in many processed and commercially produced foods. It is also added to many of the goods we eat to enhance their tastes.

Although the human body needs sodium for the regulation of fluid in your kidney and proper contraction and relaxation of muscles as well as the construction of nerve impulses, the intake of sodium must be regulated as its high intake is linked to an increased volume of blood inside the blood vessels, thus putting more pressure on the walls of the blood vessels.

Due to the increased flow of blood and pressure on the arterial walls, the heart would have to work harder to pump more blood, thus resulting in high blood pressure or hypertension.

The excess sodium in the food can also lead to a buildup of water in the body, leading to weight gain and bloating. The harmful effects that the excessive presence of sodium can have on the body necessitates the need to regulate sodium intake.

One of the best ways of regulating sodium levels in your body is by increasing your intake of certain foods that can help to flush out or counter the effects of excess sodium in your body.

This is particularly important for people who are concerned about their blood pressure levels or living with hypertension and those who are at risk of heart disease and other related health risks.

One of the best ways of flushing out excess sodium from your body is by increasing your intake of potassium foods with a high potassium-to-sodium ratio. According to Harvard Health Publishing, some good examples of such foods are highlighted below:

Orange

Dry roasted peanut

Orange juice

Black beans

Bananas

Nwachineke Onyeke Chekwube reporting, Obinwannem news writer/ November 4, 2021