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Salt Intake Too High for Most
Rich Suwanski
Posted July 25, 2010
Even though more people are attempting to eat healthier by limiting their calorie and fat intake, the one thing that's hardest to cut down on, or eliminate, is sodium because it's in so many items as a preservative.
And when it isn't, people may add it themselves for flavor, said Beth Cecil, wellness dietitian with the Owensboro Medical Health System HealthPark.
A U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study has determined that 90 percent of American adults consume more than the recommended amount of salt. The Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services' dietary guidelines recommend 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day. The CDC said in some cases, people consume double the amount of recommended level.
"People are just eating more salt because it's in processed food, and people are busy, so they're eating more fast food, and that has a lot of salt in it," Cecil said.
For example, according to McDonald's website, a Quarter Pounder with cheese has 1,190 milligrams of salt, or 50 percent of the daily allowance.
Diets that are high in salt can cause high blood pressure and can contribute to stroke, heart disease, heart failure, and other health troubles.
"If you're eating out, it may be more difficult to find out nutrition numbers because some restaurants post it, and some don't," Cecil said. "The best thing to do is ask. If (servers) don't know the numbers, they can probably refer you to their website where it's posted."
Cecil said a plain piece of grilled chicken breast and a baked potato with vegetables would likely have a low sodium count, provided the diner doesn't reach for the salt shaker.
Cecil encourages people to eat at home more often so they can prepare their own meals and control the amount of salt intake.
"You can use fresh herbs and spices from the garden instead of salt," she said.
Even Healthy Choice items include sodium. For example, a Healthy Choice turkey breast sliced cold cut has 30 calories, one fat gram and 240 milligrams of sodium (10 percent of the daily allowance) per serving. Then there's the favorite Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, which has 290 calories, six fat grams and 590 milligrams of sodium (25 percent of the daily allowance) per serving.
A ready-made meal -- or boxed meal -- typically has more sodium. Stouffer's Macaroni and Cheese has 340 calories, 16 fat grams and 820 milligrams of sodium.
Cecil said even ham, which may be lean and healthier than bologna, is high in salt.
"Pickles, ham, sausage, cheese, lunch meat, all the good stuff is higher in salt," she said. "I always tell people, if you're significantly overweight, cut back on fat and calories and eventually work on cutting back on salt.
"But if people have really high blood pressure, or if they have trouble with fluid retention, or they have congestive heart failure or kidney disease, then salt can really be dangerous. We need salt to live, but there's a fine line on how much we should eat based on a person's individual medical history."
Rich Suwanski, 691-7315, rsuwanski@messenger-inquirer.com
Date: July 6, 2010
To see more of the Messenger-Inquirer, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.messenger-inquirer.com.
Copyright © 2010, Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Ky.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
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