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Whether you're trying to monitor your sodium intake or not, you may be shocked to learn just how much salt is coming from one particular type of food-not the salt shaker.
The average American consumes more than 3,400 milligrams of sodium each day, which exceeds the routinely recommended 2,300 milligrams as per the USDA's Dietary Guidelines. The American Heart Association (AHA) even suggests adults limit their sodium intake to just 1,500 milligrams a day, especially if they already have high blood pressure or are at risk. (Related: 100 Unhealthiest Foods on the Planet).
You may be thinking but I don't even add salt to my food. The thing is, you don't have to because, according to the FDA, more than 70% of sodium in the American diet comes from packaged and prepared foods.
Most Americans grossly underestimate just how much salt they're consuming on a daily basis. As the AHA points out, one study revealed that more than half of adults surveyed thought they were eating less than 2,000 milligrams of sodium each day. This is a significant issue seeing as many health complications, such as cardiovascular disease and cardiac events including heart attack and stroke, are associated with having high dietary sodium levels.
"We are awash in foods that are high in sodium," Thomas Frieden, former director of the CDC said to the Washington Post. "Sodium reduction is one of the most neglected and under-implemented public health interventions. Yet, there is absolutely no doubt that excess sodium is resulting in deaths."
Food manufacturers are largely at fault for adding excess sodium to an array of different products on grocery store shelves, from loaves of bread to boxes of breakfast cereal. However, by reducing the amount of processed and prepared foods you eat each week, you can effectively decrease your sodium intake.
Alternatively, you can look for products on store shelves that say "low sodium" or even use "lite" salt-which contains half of the amount of sodium as regular salt-when preparing meals from scratch.
For more suggestions, be sure to read 14 Best Low-Sodium Canned Soups for Heart Health, Approved by Dietitians.
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