Test Your Sodium IQ: On average, which breakfast cereal contains the most sodium (in milligrams) per serving?
a. Wheat chex
b. Crispy rice
c. Corn flakes
d. Puffed wheat
ANSWER: A
All of these breakfast cereals contain some sodium, but wheat chex contain the most sodium, with 357 milligrams of sodium per 1 cup serving. This is equal to more than 1/8 teaspoon of salt. Ask your healthcare provider or dietitian how much sodium you should have each day.
What is sodium?
Sodium is a mineral that helps control blood pressure and fluid balance. It also controls nerve and muscle function. Sodium occurs naturally in some foods such as milk and meat. Salt is made up of sodium and another mineral called chloride. Salt is added to processed foods for flavor and as a preservative to help keep foods fresh. Eating too much sodium can lead to health problems such as high blood pressure and kidney stones. High blood pressure and kidney stones increase your chances for getting kidney disease. For more information about sodium and your kidneys click here.
Wheat chex (Serving size: 1 cup/357 milligrams)
Calories 216g, Protein 6.1g, Fat 1.1g, Carbohydrate 51.5g, Sugars 6.5g, Sodium 357mg, Phosphorus 200mg, Potassium 231mg
Crispy rice (Serving size: 1 cup/153 milligrams)
Calories 110g, Protein 2g, Fat 0.6g, Carbohydrate 24.7g, Sugars 2.86g, Sodium 153mg, Phosphorus 36mg, Potassium 36mg
Corn flakes (Serving size: 1 cup/204 milligrams)
Calories 100g, Protein 2g, Fat 0.11g, Carbohydrate 23.6g, Sugars 2.7g, Sodium 204mg, Phosphorus 29mg, Potassium 47mg
Puffed wheat (Serving size: 1 cup/1 milligram)
Calories 55g, Protein 2.4g, Fat 0.3g, Carbohydrate 11.5g, Sugars g, Sodium 1mg, Phosphorus 50mg, Potassium 55mg
Reference:
USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference. http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/search/list
Published Dec 2011. Updated December 7 2011. Accessed October 2 2015.
