Eat, Save, and Be Healthy

Most people think the culprit of their salt intake is the salt shaker in their kitchen.  Not even close!  But what food contributes the most to our sodium intake?  Tell us your answer in our poll.  Next week, we’ll see how you did. 

The Centers for Disease Control recently released, “Salt Matters: Preserving Choice, Protecting Health,” which hopes to get this message out to consumers.  The new video tells viewers the staggering facts about the sodium in our food: where it comes from, how it affects our health, and what we can do about it.  The video is available in three versions of varying length: public service announcement (PSA) version (~2 minutes), a short version (~4 minutes) and the extended version (~15 minutes).  For more information, please visit www.cdc.gov/salt.

Cheers, Julie

We eat a lot of salt in the US. In fact, data just published say only 1 in 10 adults met their recommendation for sodium intake. The average intake was 3,691 mg, well over the <2,300 mg recommendation set forth by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Too much salt may lead to high blood pressure, stroke, and stomach cancer.

Why are our levels so high? Processed and restaurant food. An estimated 77% of dietary sodium intake comes from processed and restaurant foods and approximately 10% comes from table salt and cooking. That means your salt shaker is not to blame. Grains contributed the largest amount of sodium, then meats. Main culprits in the grains group included grain-based frozen meals and soups and foods eaten frequently, such as breads. Intake of sodium from meats was likely because the category includes lunchmeats and sausages. In contrast, fresh fruits and vegetables naturally contain little sodium. Yet, vegetables were the third largest contributor, partly because the vegetable category contained vegetable-based soups and sauces, white potatoes (including potato chips, fries, and salads), and canned vegetables.

To help reduce sodium intake to below the recommended limits, food manufacturers and retailers are being asked to reduce sodium content in processed and restaurant foods. In your home, you can:

* Choose fresh fruits and vegetables
* Rinse canned beans and vegetables
* Cook with herbs, spices, fruit juices, and vinegars rather than salt
* Request your salad dressing on the side when ordering out at a restaurant
* Select low-salt frozen meals

Cheers, Julie