National Salt Reduction Initiative

Many Popular Foods Soon to be Healthier

Salt is essential to life. But too much of it is wreaking havoc on our health. A high-salt diet can lead to high blood pressure—a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke.

So how much salt do we need?

The 2010 Dietary Guidelines set by the USDA recommend that Americans get 2,300 mg or less per day. But for many of us, our daily sodium intake should be 1,500 mg or less. You fall into this category if any of these apply:

• You are 51 and older
• You are African American
• You have high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney disease
  
  

So how much salt are we eating?

The estimated average daily sodium consumption for Americans over the age of two is 3,400 mg— more than twice the recommended amount for most of us.

A nationwide assault on salt

Rather than sit by while high blood pressure continues to sweep through our communities, more than 70 cities, states and national health organizations have committed to work toward reducing American’s salt intake. The goal? Reduce salt intake by 20 percent in five years. This National Salt Reduction Initiative (NSRI) emphasizes cutting the salt where it’s highest: in packaged and restaurant foods.

“More than 75 percent of the sodium we eat does not come from our own salt shakers, but is already added to foods before we put them into our grocery carts or order them from a restaurant menu,” says UVA registered dietitian Teller Stalfort.

She adds: “Reading labels is important but if the majority of our choices have too much sodium to begin with, our options become very limited and many people struggle with adhering to such a limited menu over time.”

Look for lower-salt options in your grocery store

So far, 28 leading food companies such as Kraft and Heinz have signed on voluntarily to adhere to the targets set by the NSRI for certain food categories. So in the coming months, look for lower-salt options of your favorite brands.

Easy ways to cut the salt

In the meantime, says Stalfort, there is much you can do to lower your sodium intake:

Read food labels. Use 140 mg of sodium per serving as the cutoff. 

Keep a food log. Track your sodium intake for a week to establish your baseline and then compare to recommended levels.

Eat more fresh foods and homemade meals and fewer processed foods, which are typically very high in sodium.

Leave the saltshaker alone. If you need to reduce added salt at home, begin by using half the amount you normally do and continue to cut that intake in half over time until your taste buds have caught up with you.

Look to fresh or dried herbs to boost flavor. For instance, if you love fresh tomatoes but can't think of eating them without salt this summer, consider adding fresh basil and a splash of balsamic vinegar. 

When eating out, ask that your food be prepared with minimal salt. The best plan of attack is to monitor your sodium intake in the other meals and snacks you have on days you plan to eat out.

Find restaurants that make a concerted effort to serve lower-salt meals. Local Club Red partner Sticks Kebob Shop has done just that. Sticks intentionally uses less sodium in many of their featured dishes.

Smart Goal:

When choosing packaged and processed foods, select those with less than 140 mg of sodium per serving.