Hold the Salt

Salt – table salt  Salt, also known as table salt or rock salt (halite), is a crystalline mineral that is composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of ionic salts. It is absolutely essential for animal life, but can be harmful to animals and plants in excess. Salt is one of the oldest, most ubiquitous food seasonings and salting is an important method of food preservation. The taste of salt (saltiness) is one of the basic human tastes. ( Wikipedia) “Salt is a major culprit in depriving the body of calcium. The more salt you eat, the more calcium gets carried away by urine. Sticking to a low-salt diet can help you keep more calcium to strengthen your bones.” WebMD Salt is the world’s oldest food additive. Nine out of ten adult Americans eat too much salt each day, according to a report released  by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The problem is not even the salt that we add at the dinner table. People are consuming high amounts of salt in processed foods and at restaurants.  High sodium levels increase blood pressure, and this puts people at a higher risk for heart disease and stroke. “These diseases kill more than 800,000 Americans each year and contribute an estimated $273 billion in health care costs,” says CDC Director Dr. Thomas Frieden. The CDC found that 10 types of foods are accounted for more than 40% of our sodium intake. They are:

1. Breads and rolls
2. Deli lunch meats
3. Pizza
4. Poultry
5. Soups
6. Cheeseburgers and other sandwiches
7. Cheese
8. Pasta mixed dishes
9. Meat mixed dishes
10. Snack foods such as pretzels, potato chips and popcorn

Even though some of these foods are not high in sodium, eating multiple servings raises our salt levels. SO go easy on the salt or hold the salt. Read  Most Americans should consume less sodium.  Eating less sodium can help prevent, or control, high blood pressure. To learn more about sodium in your diet, visit http://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/Sodium/index.html.