Limiting Sodium, Saturated Fats, and Added Sugars for Better Health

Limiting sodium, saturated fats, and added sugars is important for better health. Consuming high amounts of these nutrients can have negative effects on our health. Sodium increases blood pressure, saturated fat increases LDL cholesterol, and too much sugar can increase LDL cholesterol, blood pressure, and fatty liver. It is important to not overconsume these nutrients, but completely avoiding them is not necessary. The general recommendations are to limit sodium intake to under 3,200 milligrams per day, limit saturated fat intake to not over 10% of total energy intake, and limit added sugar intake to not over 10% of total diet. Paying attention to these recommendations is especially important for individuals with high blood pressure. It is suggested to aim for even lower amounts of added sugar, such as 5% of total diet, which would be around 25 grams per day for a 2,000 calorie diet.