American adults eat too much salt, according to a report published last month by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Based on data collected from 2005 to 2006, the CDC reported that less than 10 percent of adults limit their daily sodium intake to recommended levels. (Sodium, or sodium chloride, is the major ingredient in edible salt.)
The report also found that most sodium in the American diet comes from restaurant foods and processed grains and meats, such as pizza, cookies and luncheon meats.
According to the report, adults consume an average of 3,466 milligrams (mg) of sodium per day, more than twice the current recommended limit for most Americans.
The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that people consume less than 2,300 mg of sodium per day, the equivalent of one teaspoon of salt.
Specific groups – those with high blood pressure, middle-aged and older adults, and all African Americans – are advised to limit sodium intake to 1,500 mg per day (less than ¾ teaspoon), due to their increased risk for high blood pressure and other conditions affected by sodium intake, such as diabetes.
Of these specific groups, the report showed that only 5.5 percent met the dietary recommendation of 1,500 mg per day, and only 9.6 percent of all other adults met the recommendation of less than 2,300 mg per day.
“High intake of salt can result in a number of health conditions,” said registered dietitian Carla Fynan, RD, Clinical Nutrition Manager at Cooper University Hospital.
“Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is the condition most commonly known to be associated with high intake of salt. But another serious condition associated with high salt intake is cardiovascular disease. Studies have linked reduced salt intake with reduced risk of heart disease and cardiac events,” Fynan said.
Considering that one in three American adults has high blood pressure, and that an estimated 90 percent of American adults will develop the disease in their lifetime, and that high blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease and stoke–the first and third leading causes of death among American adults, reducing the amount of salt in our diets is clearly beneficial.
“Though it’s difficult for most people to stay within the recommended daily limits of salt consumption because sodium is so pervasive in our food supply, there are ways we can cut back. One way is to skip the table salt. Another way is to reduce consumption of packaged and processed foods, such as prepared mixes, condiments, tomato sauce, soups, canned foods, and cured meats, such as bacon and ham. Most of the sodium in our diets comes from these foods, so eating them less often can reduce sodium intake and help lower blood pressure or prevent high blood pressure from developing in the first place,” Fynan said.
Fynan also recommends checking food labels for sodium content, as well as for different sodium compounds that are added to foods and listed on labels as “soda” and “Na.”
Also, monosodium glutamate, which can be listed on labels as MSG, is another high-sodium additive used as a seasoning in many packaged, canned and frozen foods.
Below are six additional tips from the American Heart Association to help you lower your intake of sodium:
Choose lower-sodium foods or low-sodium versions of your favorites.
Although it may take some time for your taste buds to adjust to a lower sodium diet, there are delicious options for very flavorful, low-sodium meals. Once the adjustment to healthier dining is made, many people report they would not choose to go back to the highly processed, sodium-rich foods.
Eat more fruits and vegetables.
When buying canned or frozen varieties, be sure to choose the no-salt added versions, and look for the choices without added sauces.
Don’t use salt during cooking.
Certain salt substitutes contain a large amount of potassium and very little sodium. They are not expensive and may be used freely by most people, except those with kidney disease. Talk with your healthcare professional about whether a salt substitute is right for you.
Select unsalted or low-sodium fat-free broths, bouillons or soups.
Avoid adding salt and canned vegetables with added salt to homemade dishes.
Eat less salted potato and corn chips, lunchmeat, hot dogs, salt pork, ham hocks, dill pickles and many canned foods.
All of these foods contain a lot of salt.