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 A recent study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that on average, 90 percent of American adults consume more salt than the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends.
The survey was based on the 2005 AHA Dietary Guidelines, which suggest a daily sodium intake of up to 2,300 milligrams. Recently, the AHA has proposed changing the guidelines to less than 1,500 milligrams of salt a day.
Although sodium is crucial for a proper fluid balance in the body and healthy muscle functioning, excessive intake may increase blood pressure, which may subsequently increase the risk for stroke, coronary heart disease, heart failure and kidney disease. According to the CDC, a low-sodium diet may help reduce new cases of coronary heart disease by 12,000-60,000 cases per year, and strokes by 32,000-66,000 cases per year.
The researchers reported that 77 percent of dietary sodium came from processed and restaurant foods. There have been several social efforts to help reduce sodium intake in the United States. For example, New York City suggested that food manufacturers voluntarily set benchmarks for lowering sodium content in their food products. The Institute of Medicine suggested the need for mandatory national standards for the sodium content of foods in April 2010.
In addition to salty foods, such as cured meats or canned foods, some foods that are not easily recognized as salty, such as breads and cookies, are also major contributors for high dietary salt intake because they may be eaten in large quantities.
Individuals may lower their dietary salt intake by using spices like red pepper, garlic, turmeric or cumin instead of salt. Also, eating fresh vegetables and meats rather than canned or frozen ones, may help minimize salt intake. Checking the labels of prepared and canned foods for sodium content may also help people keep track of their daily intake.
For more information about a low-salt diet, please visit Natural Standard's Health & Wellness database.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). www.cdc.gov
- Natural Standard: The Authority on Integrative Medicine. www.naturalstandard.com
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