Do You Need a Low Sodium Protein Powder? Delicious and Heart-Healthy Options for Hypertension

Protein powder has been popular among fitness enthusiasts and health-conscious individuals. In more recent years it has seen a growth in popularity with weight loss and general health practices. It is a convenient and efficient way to boost protein intake and support muscle recovery and growth. However, for some individuals, keeping sodium intake in check is crucial for maintaining optimal health. In this blog, we will examine low sodium protein powders, explore the benefits and options of low sodium protein powder, and why it may be a beneficial choice for certain individuals.

Understanding Sodium and Its Impact

Sodium is an essential mineral that plays a vital role in the body’s fluid balance, nerve function, and muscle contraction. Excessive sodium intake can contribute to health issues such as hypertension and cardiovascular diseases in some individuals. It is important to note that sodium may not be the bear it’s made out to be. A 2023 study found in the Journal of the American Medical Association examined sodium intake’s effect on blood pressure. Of the 213 individuals in the study, 160 (75%) were hypertensive but only 98 (46%) showed notable changes in mean arterial pressure at any level of salt intake. The average change in pressure across all groups was 4 mmHg. While there were improvements in blood pressure from sodium reduction, the impact may not be as drastic or universal as we are led to believe. However, this is not a blog on hypertension. The recommended daily sodium intake varies depending on factors such as age and health condition, but generally, it is advised to limit sodium consumption to around 2,300 mg per day.

The Role of Protein Powder in Nutrition

Protein powder is a convenient and efficient source of high-quality protein, containing essential amino acids necessary for muscle repair, recovery, and growth. It is often used by athletes, bodybuilders, and individuals following specific diets. High protein intake has also been shown to help improve satiety (fullness over time) and increase calorie expenditure (high thermic effect of food). Protein powders come in various types, including whey and casein (milk based), soy, and plant-based options, catering to different dietary preferences and restrictions. There are even increases in beef and egg based proteins. These powders often also contain additional ingredients like vitamins and minerals to enhance nutritional value. 

Incorporating protein powders into your diet can be as straightforward as mixing up a shake in some water or your preferred milk and drinking it. A fairly easy task now with the incredible bevy of flavors available. If you keep reading I will share some other ways to incorporate protein in a more creative manner. 

I have never been coy about my support for whey protein as the king of powders. It is scientifically proven to be the most effective, digestible, and highest quality protein on the market. Empirically, it has the best taste and texture as well. If you do have any aversions to dairy, be it digestive or dietary choice, plant based proteins are a completely viable option.

Why Choose Low Sodium Protein Powder?

First question to ask here, is low sodium protein powder a thing? The answer is less straightforward than you might expect. I think it largely depends on what we set as the standard for high or low sodium. Upon examination of some major brands of protein powder, I noticed a couple trends. 

1. None of the protein powders were particularly high in sodium.
2. Plant based protein powders had the highest amount of sodium across the board.
3. Ready to drink protein drinks had higher sodium content than any powders.

Most whey protein powders clock in somewhere around 120-150 mg of sodium per scoop. To put that into perspective, lower sodium lunch meats come in at around 350-400 mg of sodium per 2 ounce serving. Not only is this less than ½ of the sodium content, but 2 ounces of lunch meat contains about 12 grams of protein compared to the 25 grams from a scoop of protein. Moving away from lunch meat, 4 ounces of raw chicken breast contains about 25 grams of protein and around 75 mg of sodium.

Plant based proteins had an average of 230 mg per sodium when observing most major brands. This is a decent jump from whey proteins, but still notably less than something like lunch meat. The ready to drinks were often in the 270-300 mg range. While still less than lunch meat, the liquid product requires more preservatives like sodium to keep it shelf stable.

Top Low Sodium Protein Powder Options

While I am under the opinion that none of the major brands of protein were concerningly high in sodium, there is an option available for significantly lower sodium protein powders. Notice I said AN option. The same company make whey and plant based protein powders that have less than half of the industry standard: Naked Protein.

• Naked Whey*: 45 mg of sodium per scoop
• Naked Pea*: 110 mg of sodium per scoop

How to Incorporate Low Sodium Protein Powder into Your Diet

As mentioned earlier, here are a few ideas to incorporate protein powder into the diet

1. Smoothies. Easy, straightforward, efficient. Take your favorite smoothie recipe and throw a scoop or two of protein powder to upgrade the nutrition.
2. Yogurt Parfait. Popular breakfast of greek yogurt and a mixture of fruit, nuts and/or granola. Why not stir a scoop of protein powder in the yogurt and increase the protein. 
3. Dessert Parfait. Try crumbling some oreos or chocolate chips for a night time protein treat.
4. Overnight Oats. Take your favorite overnight oats recipe and add a scoop of protein before you stir it together. Boom! High protein.

Additional Tips for a Low Sodium Diet

By now you may realize that my opinion is that focusing attention on reducing sodium in protein powder, something most of us use no more than once per day, is not the most fruitful effort. In that light, I have provided a few tips for lowering sodium intake in the diet. 

• Limit eating out. Restaurants and fast food are notorious for using high amounts of sodium. Most salads at restaurants like Chick Fil A contain over 1000 mg of sodium. 
• Buy reduced sodium meats. When picking up lunch meat or bacon, grab the reduced sodium version. While still somewhat high per serving, the regular versions often have twice as much sodium.
• No salt added canned foods. Canned goods can be a wonderful convenience, but make sure to pick up the no salt added or reduced sodium variety when possible.

Protein powder offers numerous benefits for muscle recovery, growth, and overall health. For those individuals who need or choose to limit their sodium intake, low sodium protein powder is an option to help lower daily sodium intake. However, I believe there are more fruitful ways to reduce sodium intake as protein powders are not overtly high in sodium. Naked Nutrition is a fine product with minimal ingredients, but I simply don’t believe a lower sodium protein powder is worth any extra expense.