It’s no secret that salt is a flavor enhancer. Chefs far and wide use salt to give their culinary creations that special finish. But the reality is, minor flavor enhancement is not what is putting millions of Americans at risk of high blood pressure. Salt shakers on the table, grotesque amounts of sodium in some restaurant meals, and overconsumption of many of the processed foods in the supermarket.

According to the Department of Agriculture, processed foods are the culprit of 80% of salt in American diets. This means all prepackaged meals, snacks, and most convenience items! And with such busy lives, Americans tend to look for the quick-fix meals, but in this case that means a whole lot of sodium.

The recommended daily allowance of sodium is 2400 milligrams, while many American’s are easily eating double that every day. What’s more, there’s a good chance the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans will decrease the sodium limit to 1500 mg/day. Do the math, that’s no more than 500 mg a meal.

Increased intake of salt leads to health risks such as hypertension (high blood pressure) which can lead to heart disease and stroke. It is important to start prevention early, and we can start by cutting out unnecessary salt in our diets.

I’m sure more and more companies will reduce sodium in their products, but in the meantime, there are other ways to cut back:

- Frozen meals contain a lot of preservatives and salt; read labels and use frozen meals sparingly as “emergency back up meals”

- Fresh, frozen, and canned fruit and vegetables contain low or no sodium at all; munch on a handful of carrots for a snack, include them in healthy summer salads, or make them as a side dish.

- Go out to eat less often. You’ll save money and you won’t have to be a “detective sleuth” to uncover the amount of sodium in the meal. If you do go out, share a meal with your dinner buddy and add a garden salad.

Other than making changes to your food choices, regular exercise, reduced stress, healthy weight maintenance and lower alcohol consumption can also help to reduce high blood pressure.

Remember, although an excess of salt is bad, not enough is also bad! Our bodies do need sodium to function properly so you don’t have to get rid of all of it. Spread it out between meals or make sure you only have one “high salt” meal a day.

Read this recent New York Times article that discusses sodium in American’s eating habits.

View Original Post at rebeccascritchfield.wordpress.com

• Filed Under:  
• SportsPLUS, Health & Fitness, Nutrition