Have you followed the FDA Salt guidelines for your daily sodium intake?
FDA states that salt in food contributes to high blood pressure that leads to various health problems including stroke, kidney failure, and heart disease. The agency suggests less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day which is almost equal to a teaspoon of table salt. And 1,500 milligrams of sodium per day for people over 50.
In the US, nine from 10 people take more than the recommended sodium intake daily. The scientific studies that back the facts, have made FDA to issue draft guidance to restaurants and food industry - requiring amount reduction of sodium intake in the FDA salt guideline.
According to Dr. John Bisognano, a cardiologist at the UR Medicine, the proposal will benefit for those in sodium diet. The FDA guideline will enable restaurant diners to learn how much calories put in their meals and the sodium intake.
And as for those planning to reduce their sodium intake at home, Dr. Bisognano has listed some of the foods high in sodium as published in UR Medicine blog.
- Canned soup, pasta, Worcestershire gravies
- Taco mixes, meat tenderizer
- Smoked or cured products of meat, sausages, cheese
- Frozen foods with sauces
- Pancake and pudding mixes
- Seasoned rice and potatoes.
- Instant foods
- Crackers, pretzels, salted chips
Studies on sodium intake
High sodium intake can make the body work harder. It causes blood vessels to become stiff and many evidences show how salt can damage vital organs from heart to kidney, plus, it is reportedly bad for bones, Harvard School of Public Health noted.
The challenge of reducing sodium intake in daily meals
Sodium salt is everywhere in the foods we consume daily. It requires determination not to eat vegetables without sauce or limit the consumption of canned foods. This is why American Heart Association urges Americans to take the pledge to Break Up with Salt as an effort to reduce high sodium intake.
