Excess sodium in our diets is linked to hypertension and heart disease that kill thousands of Americans each year. The Food and Drug Administration has announced plans to wean us off oversalted foods.
Finally food and its effects on our national health are starting to get some attention. In February, First Lady Michelle Obama announced the launch of the ‘Let’s Move’ campaign to end childhood obesity in the United States. Films like King Corn and Food, Inc. have focused the spotlight on how our food is produced and what that does to our health, our workers and the environment. And now, the Washington Post reports that the Food and Drug Administration is planning an unprecedented effort to reduce the salt Americans consume each day, saying “The initiative, to be launched this year, would eventually lead to the first legal limits on the amount of salt allowed in food products.” They’re not going to make us go cold salt-free turkey, though. The plan is to slowly adjust the American palate to a less salty diet over a 10-year period.
The main culprit in our overconsumption of salt—and the focus of the government’s efforts—is processed foods. From spaghetti sauce to bread to soda, added salt is in just about every processed food we consume, sometimes in alarming amounts. In fact, according to the Mayo Clinic, a whopping 77% of the sodium in foods we eat comes from processed foods. By comparison, about 5% gets added during cooking and another 6% at the table. The remaining 12% is naturally occurring.
Most Americans consume more than 50% more sodium than they should every day. For those at risk for hypertension—African Americans, middle-aged and older adults—or people who already have hypertension, the numbers are even worse; on average, they consume more than twice the sodium they should. A study released last year by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] concluded that as many as 70% of Americans consume too much salt. A diet high in sodium increases the risk of having higher blood pressure, a major cause for heart disease and stroke, the first and third leading causes of death in the United States.
How to reduce sodium in your diet right now.
News that the FDA is planning to gradually limit sodium in processed foods is exciting, but you can start now. Since three-quarters of the salt in our diets comes from processed or prepared foods, the first obvious step is to reduce processed foods in your diet. And to be more choosy about the processed foods you do eat.
Eat more fresh foods. Most fresh fruits and vegetables are naturally low in sodium, of course. So is fresh meat, but be aware that even some fresh meat has been injected with a sodium-containing solution. If you’re not sure, look on the label or ask your butcher.
Read labels. Check the sodium content. Also check the number of servings in the package; chances are, that can of soup is two servings, not one. Eat the whole can and you double your sodium.
Choose low-sodium products when possible. More companies are making reduced sodium or even no-salt-added versions of their products. Sometimes when I’ve used canned tomatoes, tomato paste and beans when making something, even though I don’t add any salt, it can still end up tasting salty. Now whenever possible, I buy no-salt-added tomatoes and tomato paste.
Use herbs, spices and other flavorings to liven up foods. Fresh or dried herbs, spices, zest from citrus fruit, fruit juices and other flavorings all can jazz up your meals. Recently when I roasted a leg of lamb with a Moroccan spice rub made with cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, saffron and other flavorings, I accidentally forgot to salt the roast. No one at the table reached for the salt shaker.
And finally, don’t hyperventilate. Reducing the amount of processed food in your diet will make a huge difference in your salt intake. So when you cook with fresh foods, don’t be afraid of the salt shaker. A moderate amount of salt brings flavors to life. Just remember Oscar Wilde’s advice [although I’m pretty sure he wasn’t talking about salt]: “All things in moderation, including moderation.”
Update: 16 companies to reduce salt in products by 25%
Marion Nestle at Food Politics reported today that “New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced yesterday that sixteen food companies have agreed to join the National Salt Reduction Initiative spearheaded by the city’s health department.” The companies have volunteered to reduce sodium in their products by 25% within the next five years, but most say they will do it by 2012 or 2014. Starbucks, Goya, Heinz and FreshDirect were among the 16 companies who took part in the news conference.
To me, this is an exciting example of how the food industry is beginning to listen, and how commercial forces can sometimes drive changes faster than government alone.
It almost always stuns me when I read the amount of sodium on a package of …. well, a package of almost anything processed. My entire life I’ve been a pepper girl and often find packaged foods and restaurant food to be too salty for my taste. My family knows that they are probably going to want to add salt to the mashed potatoes because my idea of “salt to taste” and theirs is not the same. I think this is a wonderful change that is long overdue. Thanks for the great information, Terry. Take care.
Did anyone vote for politicians that ran on a platform of “i’m going to control what you eat and drink whether you like it or not”?
Seems to me the FDA’s job should be limited to pointing out what is harmful and let the individual make up his or her own mind. If I want to put salt in my coffee that’s my business.
Dave, I think you make the point precisely: If you want to add salt to something that’s your business. But if companies are putting potentially dangerous amounts of salt into our foods before we ever get them, it’s time for the FDA and others to intervene. Then you as an individual are free to add all the salt you want. Chances are, though, if companies want people to continue to buy and eat their foods, they’ll find ways of adding taste without oversalting, and perhaps even you won’t choose to add more salt.
I think it is great that the USDA is finally regulating processed food. Honestly, our food industry should have never gotten to this point but we still have time to improve the food problem. I’m excited to see what how many companies change their food for the better.
I have to say it’s about time the USDA look into this health problem, but I feel to many people are being pay off to correct the problem.
You have to wonder why all these years our health care system didn’t start talking about the relationship with to much salt in peoples diets that lead to many health problems in this country. Maybe salt is way so many people are paying thru the nose for healthcare. I hope people wake up and stop using so much salt, in the long run your well being will be better.