People don’t realize it, but most of us consume way too much salt. Most comes not from the salt shaker, rather from processed foods (over 60%). Consumer groups such as the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) are petitioning the FDA to press food manufacturers and restaurants to cut back on salt. Read CSPI’s recent press release:
Cutting Salt Could Save 150,000 Lives Each Year, Officials Say
WASHINGTON—With high-salt diets increasingly being recognized as a major cause of high blood pressure, heart attacks, and strokes, health officials from around the country have called on the Food and Drug Administration to press food manufacturers and restaurants to cut back on salt. The comments were made in response to the FDA’s request for public input on a petition filed by the Center for Science in the Public Interest urging the agency to revoke the “generally recognized as safe,” or GRAS, status of salt and to limit sodium levels in various food categories.
What you need to know:
Salt and sodium are terms that may be used interchangeably. The FDA’s recommended maximum daily value is about 2400mg of sodium (for a 2000 calorie diet). This is the equivalent of a single teaspoon of salt. Flavor experts claim that you can adjust your salt “flavor point” down within a matter of weeks.
What to look for at the Supermarket:
Read the food labels and check for sodium content. Frozen foods will often sport less sodium than their canned counterparts. Buy low sodium products and sprinkle a bit more salt at mealtime.
