HOW SALT SNEAKS INTO YOUR EVERYDAY DIET; SOME SURPRISING SOURCES OF SALT
In many individuals salt intake is associated with higher blood pressure and bloating and should also be limited in people with kidney disease and diabetes.
It is recommended that adults under 50 years of age consume no more than 2300 mgs of salt per day and for those 50+ no more than 1500 mgs per day.
It’s not easy to stay within these guidelines and you have to both read the nutrition labels on the foods you choose to eat and be aware of the classes of food that contribute to daily salt consumption.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has created a list of 10 foods that significantly contribute to your daily salt intake. They are:
1- Breads and other baked goods like rolls. Surprised?
2- Cold cuts and processed meats
3- Pizza
4- Poultry
5- Soups
6- Sandwiches
7- Cheese
8- Pasta Dishes
9- Meat dishes (i.e. meatloaf)
10- Snacks (i.e. popcorn, pretzels, trail mix, chips)
Many people may be surprised to learn that bread and baked products are high sources of salt. Most of us think of soups as healthy, but many of them are alarmingly high in salt content.
The message here is not so much to cut out the foods on this list, but to buy products or make foods that contain less salt and to try to keep track of your daily salt intake with the above maximums in mind.
Curt Hendrix, M.S., C.C.N., C.N.S.
