sodium
gb/sˈoʊdiəm/ us/sˈoʊdiəm/
B1
English
~ 7300
Senses
0 senses
Noun
technical
B1
entity
1
a soft, highly reactive metal element
A chemical element (symbol Na) found in salt and many foods, important for the body but harmful in large amounts.
Usage pattern:
[amount] of sodium in [something]
Common mistake:
Learners often think "sodium" and "salt" are exactly the same. In science, sodium is a chemical element, and table salt is a compound called sodium chloride. Another mistake is treating "sodium" as a countable noun (e.g. "many sodiums"); it is almost always uncountable ("too much sodium," "less sodium"). Learners may also confuse the chemical symbol "Na" with an abbreviation for "not applicable," but in chemistry it specifically means sodium.
Synonyms
Na (The official chemical symbol used in formulas and scientific writing, not normally said in everyday speech.)
|
salt (Common everyday word for sodium chloride; often used loosely when people talk about sodium in food, but not chemically identical to pure sodium.)
Collocations
high sodium
|low sodium
|sodium content
|sodium intake
|sodium levels
|blood sodium
Themes
science
|health
|nutrition
|food_drink
Examples
- Many processed foods contain high levels of sodium, which can increase blood pressure.
- Table salt is mainly sodium chloride, a compound of sodium and chlorine.
- Doctors sometimes restrict a patient's sodium intake to help control heart disease.
- Sodium plays an important role in nerve function and fluid balance in the body.
- When pure sodium reacts with water, it produces hydrogen gas and a strong alkali.
Learner examples
- This soup has too much sodium for me.
- My doctor told me to eat less sodium.
- Salt on the food label is written as sodium.
- Sodium in the blood helps control body fluids.
- Many snacks are high in sodium.
Grammar
Dictionary form
sodium
IPA
GB/sˈoʊdiəm/
US/sˈoʊdiəm/
Syllables & stress
so - di - um (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (so)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: sodium
- Plural: sodium, sodiums
Word family
Expressions
blood sodium level
1/blˈʌd sˈoʊdiəm lˈɛvəl/
fixed phrase
technical
amount of sodium in blood
The amount of sodium in someone’s blood, usually measured in a medical test.
Examples
- The doctor ordered a test to check his blood sodium level.
- Abnormally low blood sodium levels can cause confusion and seizures.
- Her blood sodium level returned to normal after treatment.
cut down on sodium
1/kˈʌt dˈaʊn ˈɔn sˈoʊdiəm/
phrasal verb
reduce sodium in your diet
To eat or drink less sodium, usually by choosing foods with less salt.
Examples
- My doctor told me to cut down on sodium to lower my blood pressure.
- If you cut down on sodium, you may feel less bloated.
- Reading food labels can help you cut down on sodium.
high-sodium foods
1/hˈaɪ sˈoʊdiəm fˈudz/
fixed phrase
foods with a lot of sodium
Foods that have a lot of sodium in one serving, such as many snacks and fast foods.
Examples
- Canned soups and chips are often high-sodium foods.
- She tries to avoid high-sodium foods to protect her heart.
- Fast food restaurants usually serve many high-sodium foods.
low-sodium diet
1/lˈoʊ sˈoʊdiəm dˈaɪət/
fixed phrase
diet with little sodium
A way of eating where a person tries not to eat much sodium, usually for health reasons.
Examples
- After his heart attack, he was put on a low-sodium diet.
- People with high blood pressure are often advised to follow a low-sodium diet.
- She finds it hard to keep a low-sodium diet when eating in restaurants.
sodium bicarbonate
1/sˈoʊdiəm baɪkˈɑɹbənɪt/
fixed phrase
technical
chemical name for baking soda
A chemical compound (NaHCO3) used as baking soda in cooking and as an antacid in medicine.
Examples
- The recipe calls for a teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate.
- Sodium bicarbonate can be used to neutralize acid spills in the lab.
- He took some sodium bicarbonate to relieve his heartburn.
sodium chloride
1/sˈoʊdiəm klˈɔɹaɪd/
fixed phrase
technical
chemical name for table salt
The scientific name for common table salt, a compound made of sodium and chlorine.
Examples
- The label lists sodium chloride as the main ingredient in the product.
- Seawater contains a high concentration of sodium chloride.
- In chemistry class we learned that sodium chloride has the formula NaCl.
sodium hydroxide
1/sˈoʊdiəm haɪdɹˈɑksaɪd/
fixed phrase
technical
strong alkali chemical compound
A very strong chemical base (NaOH) used in making soap, cleaning products, and other industrial processes.
Examples
- Sodium hydroxide is highly corrosive and must be handled with care.
- The factory uses sodium hydroxide in its paper-making process.
- We learned how sodium hydroxide reacts with acids in chemistry class.
sodium intake
1/sˈoʊdiəm ˈɪntˌeɪk/
fixed phrase
technical
amount of sodium consumed
The total amount of sodium a person eats or drinks in a day or other time period.
Examples
- Doctors recommend limiting daily sodium intake to reduce the risk of hypertension.
- Tracking your sodium intake can help you make healthier food choices.
- Her sodium intake dropped after she stopped eating processed snacks.