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Are you getting more sodium than health experts suggest is wise? If so, it could lead to serious health problems.

Sodium is a mineral. You can find it naturally in food, such as celery or milk. Manufacturers may also add sodium to processed food, such as bread. Sodium also is used to flavor food in condiments, such as soy sauce. When sodium is combined with another mineral called chloride, the two make table salt.

The daily limit set by nutrition experts in the U.S. is 2,300 milligrams (mg) a day for people ages 14 and older. The World Health Organization suggests a limit of 2,000 mg of sodium a day. Most of the sodium you eat is hidden in prepared foods. And for that reason, many people worldwide take in more sodium than their bodies need. This can put them at higher risk of a long-term illness such as high blood pressure, also called hypertension.

See where all that sodium comes from and learn how you can cut back.