You probably already know to watch your daily sodium intake, especially if you have high blood pressure. But the health risks associated with excessive consumption of this salty substance are once again the focus of interest. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently published guidelines that encourage manufacturers to reduce the amount of sodium they use in packaged and restaurant foods.
Although this guidance is voluntary, your goal is to reduce your average daily sodium intake by approximately 12%, of the 3 ,400 mg typically consumed by Americans to 3,000 mg, in the next 2½ years. While that’s still more than the recommended threshold of 2,300 mg, it’s a step in the right direction, says Dr. Anne Thorndike, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and volunteer chair of the American Heart Association Committee on Nutrition.
Much of the sodium you eat, more than 70 %, comes from packaged processed foods and restaurant meals. So if too many companies follow these guidelines, it could have a significant impact on heart health, says Thorndike.
The effect of salt
Despite what you may have heard about sodium being unfairly treated, most evidence shows that cutting back is protective of your health.
This is because consuming too much salt can increase the volume blood pressure, raising blood pressure and forcing your heart to work harder, says Julia Zumpano, RD, of the Cleveland Clinic Center for Human Nutrition. This increases the risk of stroke and heart disease.
In fact, a study published in 500 from Tufts University of Boston showed that one in every 10 deaths related to the cardiovascular system worldwide it is due, at least in part, to a high-sodium diet. And according to a study with more than 000,000 people published in 2021 in the New England Journal of Medicine, each 1,000 mg sodium excreted in urine (representing intake) increases the risk of cardiovascular disease by 18 %.
Get it off
That said, finding a balance between less salt and tasty food can be tricky. Salt has a unique flavor that’s hard to imitate, says Dr. Carolyn F. Ross, a professor of food sciences at Washington State University in Pullman.
Furthermore, sodium is It is found in foods where it is not expected, such as cereals and bread. These expert tips can help you reduce your daily sodium intake.
• Do a count. “Write down the amount of sodium you consume from food throughout the day,” suggests Zumpano. This allows you to spot the main culprits and choose where to cut them down. You might decide, for example, that you can’t sacrifice the salt in your eggs but that you’re fine with snacking on unsalted almonds (0 mg sodium per ounce) instead of pretzels (some 300 mg of sodium per ounce), opt for reduced-sodium soy sauce.
• Upgrade your salt. Ounce for ounce, table salt, kosher salt, and sea salt all have about the same amount of sodium. But the last two tend to have larger crystals that take up more volume in a measuring spoon, so you end up with less sodium in recipes. Another smart move: use a salt shaker with smaller holes; that reduces the salt pass through, so you’ll use less overall, says Ross.
• Switch to salt substitutes. These products add just enough salty flavor, called umami, so you don’t miss salt. In a New England Journal of Medicine study of 2021 with nearly 21,000 older adults with hypertension or a history of stroke, the half used a substitute made with 75 % salt and a 14 % potassium chloride. After about 5 years, those who cooked and seasoned with the substitute had between a 13 and a 14 % less likely to have a heart attack or stroke compared to those who They used salt. As for taste, check out the results of a blind test of 6 popular salt substitutes by a panel of Consumer Reports sense experts.
• Skip the salt when cooking. Salt is incorporated into foods, so it may not be as noticeable in the final product, says Ross. Instead, sprinkle it on just before serving. By adding it last, the crystals stay on top of the food. The salt reaches the tongue, so it tastes better and you don’t need as much.
• Enhance the flavor of food with spices, herbs and aromatic agents . These add flavor and disease-fighting antioxidants with little sodium, Zumpano says. According to research published in 2015 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, people who cooked with herbs and spices significantly reduced their daily sodium intake. Experiment with garlic, onion, fresh and dried herbs, and seasoning mixes. “In recipes, you can substitute a half teaspoon or a full teaspoon of salt for an herb mix,” says Ross. An acid, such as lemon juice or vinegar, can also enhance the flavor of a dish.
• Detect hidden sources of sodium. Manufacturers add sodium to foods that are not expected to contain it to enhance flavors and textures and act as a preservative. “Sodium from processed and packaged foods can really add up throughout the day,” says Thorndike. A slice of bread, for example, can have 240 mg, that is, around 10 % of recommended daily sodium intake. Some cereals provide more than 300 mg in a serving, and pasta sauces contain more than 500 mg per half cup. When you go to the supermarket, check the labels to see how much sodium a product contains.
• Decipher the statements. “Slight sodium content” means that a product has at least 50 % less than the original or a competitor, while “reduced sodium” means it has at least 25 % less. But even with the reduction, the sodium content can still be high, says Zumpano. Best Choices: Low Sodium (140 mg or less per serving), Very Low Sodium (35 mg or less), no sodium (less than 5 mg), and no added salt (salt free, but not necessarily a low sodium food).
Editor’s Note: This article also appeared in the February issue of 2022 from Consumer Reports On Health.
Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright © 2022, Consumer Reports, Inc.
Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with the advertisers on this site. Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works with consumers to create a fair, safe, and healthy world. CR does not endorse products or services and does not accept advertising. Copyright © 2022, Consumer Reports, Inc.