Are you consuming too much sodium in your diet? - 21 News Now, More Local News for Youngstown, Ohio -

Salt is an important part of a person's diet. In fact, your body needs at least 500 mg of sodium per day.

"Despite popular belief that the amount of sodium you get it from you adding the salt. Actually only 10% comes from that. Ninety percent of your sodium intake comes from eating at restaurants and fast food places as well as eating a lot of prepackaged and processed food," said Lauren Manusakis a dietition with Humility of Mary Health Partners.

Which is why a lot of people consume two to three times the daily recommended amount of sodium, which is 2300 milligrams. To cut down your sodium intake, registered dietician Lauren Manusakis suggests a diet rich in fresh foods.

"Keep in mind food companies are very good at trying to get you to eat more of their food and buy their food and by putting salt, sugar and fat in those products it causes this kind of addiciton and it hits all of these sensors in your brain that says,'Oh, I want more," said Manusakis

Which is why Manusakis says reading labels, closely, is so important. Too much sodium in your system can cause a handful of health issues.

"It actually increases your blood volume, which then makes your heart work harder. So, that is how a lot of people develop high blood pressure," said Manusakis.  "It also then leads you to a risk of heart disease, as well as kidney issues and stroke."

If you're over the age of 51, if you're African American, have high blood pressure, heart disease, chronic kidney disease or diabetes you are to consume no more than 1500 milligrams of sodium a day according to current recommendations.