Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsDefinitionSodium ContentRelationship to Hypertension
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Definition
Sodium Content
Relationship to Hypertension
Water softeners are devices attached to home plumbing systems that are designed to eliminate the problems that come from having “hard” water. This includes unpleasant odors/tastes, or stiff, scratchy clothes (after laundering).
Water softeners containsodiumto assist with filtration. The water shouldn’t taste salty, but it can raise yourblood pressure.Exactly how much sodium is in softened water depends on how hard the water is to start. Usually, the harder the water, the more sodium it will have once it passes through the filter.
This article takes a closer look at how water softeners work and why they contain sodium. It also explains how sodium in softened water may affect your blood pressure.
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What Is Softened Water?
In areas with very hard water, the softened water coming from your tap can actually add a significant amount of sodium to your diet. The harder the water, the more sodium the softening system must add to replace the dissolved calcium and magnesium.
How Much Sodium Is in Softened Water?
In order to figure out how much sodium your softener is adding, you’ll need to contact your local health department, who will be able to tell you the mineral content of your well. Ask for the hardness of your water in “grains per gallon.”
37 Foods High in Sodium to Eat Less of
Does Salt in Water Softener Cause Hypertension?
Softened water typically contains about 12.5 milligrams (mg) of sodium per 8-ounce glass. If this water were graded according to the same scale the Food and Drug Administration uses for foods, it would be considered “very low sodium.”
Some things you can do to combat sodium in your water include:
Though there are economical ways to eliminate this extra sodium from your diet, remember that the biggest sources of salt in the diet come from processed foods and the salt shaker.
Overall, it’s probably okay to drink softened water every day. However, if you are on a medically low sodium diet, ask your healthcare provider to make sure.
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Summary
4 Sources
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University of Maryland Extension.Sodium in your well water: a health concern.
Food and Drug Administration.Sodium in your diet: use the nutrition facts label and reduce your intake.
Gupta DK, Lewis CE, Varady KA, et al.Effect of dietary sodium on blood pressure: a crossover trial.JAMA. 2023;330(23):2258-2266. doi:10.1001/jama.2023.23651
Akram S, Rehman F.Hardness in drinking-water, its sources, its effects on humans and its household treatment.J Chem Applications. 2018;4(1):4.Connecticut Department of Public Health.Sodium & chloride in well water: health considerations.North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.Sodium & private wells.University of Arizona College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.Sodium in drinking water and Arizona domestic wells.University of Maryland Extension.Sodium in your well water: a health concern.University of Massachusetts Amherst Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment.Sodium chloride in private drinking water wells.
Akram S, Rehman F.Hardness in drinking-water, its sources, its effects on humans and its household treatment.J Chem Applications. 2018;4(1):4.
Connecticut Department of Public Health.Sodium & chloride in well water: health considerations.
North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.Sodium & private wells.
University of Arizona College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.Sodium in drinking water and Arizona domestic wells.
University of Massachusetts Amherst Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment.Sodium chloride in private drinking water wells.
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