How much sodium is a 'high' amount?

[Lolli]

Hi all

I was just wondering- how much sodium per serve, or per hundred grams, is considered a high amount for kids?

Ta

[SamiH]

dont know kids - but I know for adults anything over 300 per 100g of whatever is considered very high and should be avoided - Cheesesticks are a classic -lots of parent use them, but cos they are so highly processed (I wonder about cheese that doesnt need refrigeration) need lots of salt/sodium ...

[Lolli]

Cheers for that Sami, I have been wondering that for a while now.

[MantaRay]

I have a little wallet card from the Parents' Jury - I'll have to check it for you. But from memory it's about half that of adults. So when shopping there are very few things that have acceptable sodium levels. I am pretty good at knowing which brands to buy for most of my regular products, so if you have anything in particular you want to know the lowest sodium brand for, let me know.

[Snowy Love]

I just buy whatever's got the lowest level. My palate has changed in the last year and a half - I find stuff really salty now if I don't buy low salt.

[Ezz]

Thanks for that idea about the Parent's Jury card MR - I have never heard of that site before. I just downloaded the card. They say that you should be looking for less than 120mg per 100g.

There was a discussion about this a while ago with regard to vegemite. Find it here.

The salt issue is something I am really concerned about.

Looking online I found info that outlined the RDI of sodium for infants and it is not much at all:
0-6 months = 120mg/day
7-12 months = 200mg/day
1-3 yrs = 300mg/day

with the tolerable upper limits recommended
0-12 months n/a
1-3 yrs = 800mg

n/a due to the fact that there have been no studies done on the high effects of sodium on babies (prob not an ethical study to do!)

If you check out the sodium levels on foods you notice how quickly we can get a baby to 200mg.... pretty bad really.