Main Sources of Sodium
5% added while cooking
6% added while eating
12% occurs naturally in foods
77% in processed foods and restaurant meals
Shake Your Salt Habit
Take a bite out of your risk for cardiovascular disease and stroke
The latest federal dietary guidelines say to limit your sodium intake to 1,500 milligrams a day. That might be hard to do because sodium is found in more places than you think, and the average American consumes a whopping 3,446 milligrams of sodium every day.
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The sodium content of sea salt is comparable to salt and offers no health advantage.
Because high sodium intake is linked to high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and strokes, the less you consume, the better.
How can you tell which foods are high in sodium?
Contrary to popular belief, you can’t always tell the amount of sodium just by taste, so review the Nutrition Facts label closely for its serving size and consider how many servings you actually eat. Don’t just look for the word “salt” in the ingredient list, either. Watch for soda, sodium and commonly used ingredients such as baking soda, baking powder and monosodium glutamate (MSG).
Beware of these labels if the product originally contained high levels of sodium:
Tips to Shake Your Salt Habit |
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Sources: American Dietetics Association, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, Mayo Clinic, Report of the DGAC on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010.
For information, please call our Health Access Line at 314-ANTHONY (268-4669) or 800-554-9550 or visit find a physician online.
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