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Sodium |
| Sodium is a soft silvery white
metal found as a number of compounds of which sodium chloride or salt is the most common. |
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| Food
sources |
| Salt is the principle source, by
virtue of its universal use in cooking. Foods rich in sodium are milk, egg white, meat,
poultry, fish and certain vegetables like spinach, celery and beets. Processed foods
contain sodium-containing compounds like baking soda, monosodium glutamate etc… back to top |
| Functions |
| Sodium is an electrolyte. It is
important for maintaining the body's fluid balance and for moving these fluids in and out
of cells. It is also important in the transmission of nerve impulses, in heart function
and in protein and carbohydrate metabolism. back
to top |
| Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) |
| There is no RDA for sodium, an
amount of about 500-mg per day is considered safe and adequate. back to top |
| Related Articles
Deficiency of Sodium
Toxicity of Sodium
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