Sodium warning worth its salt

Ninety percent of Americans eat more sodium than recommended, but don't blame the salt shaker. Ninety percent of the salt we take in comes from packaged foods and eating out.

The Centers for Disease Control report released earlier this month and based on multiple studies concluded that the average American consumes 50 to 100 percent more salt than they should.

The U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend less than 2,300 mg of sodium per day, and less than 1,500 mg daily for 6 out of 10 adults - those over 40, African American, or who have high blood pressure. Most Americans currently consume about 3,300 mg daily.

If sodium levels exceed what kidneys can process, blood volume increases and the body retains extra water to balance the sodium. This leads to higher blood pressure and more workload for the heart and kidneys. Increased blood pressure can cause cardiovascular and kidney disease. It also tends to mean added weight. The CDC reports that reducing American daily sodium intake by 1,200 mg would save $20 billion in medical costs annually.

The biggest culprit according to the CDC is packaged food, 65 percent of typical intake. Second is restaurant foods, with 25 percent of average sodium intake. Not to encourage adding salt to food, which isn't exactly healthy, but table salt doesn't even make the top 10.

The top 10 sodium contributors in order are bread, luncheon meats, pizza, processed poultry products (e.g., chicken nuggets and patties), soups, cheeseburgers and other sandwiches, cheese, pasta, mixed meat dishes (meat loaf, ravioli), snack foods (e.g., pretzels, chips, popcorn). The pasta category does not include mac and cheese, which is in a high-sodium category all by itself.

For spicing up foods while cooking, safer options include marjoram, thyme, chives, rosemary, and paprika. A simple sprinkle of onion powder at the table isn't too far off.

The CDC recommends label-scanning while shopping. You'd be surprised how much sodium and fat are in salad dressing, for example. Same goes for pastas, frozen foods, and snack crackers.

Healthier options are on the shelves. Some restaurants have low-sodium menu options. Once you get used to eating fresh veggies and fruits, you stop missing the cheese fries, and the body, once purified of the junk it was forced to put up with, lets you know when you screw up.

Really.

Sholeh Patrick is a columnist for the Hagadone News Network. Email sholehjo@hotmail.com.