Why Does Sodium Matter?
Eating too much sodium raises the risk for developing high blood pressure. In the United States, about 90% of Americans aged 2 and older eat too much sodium. On average, Americans eat 3,300 mg of sodium per day, which is more than twice the recommended limit for most adults.
Fortunately, when sodium intake is reduced,blood pressure, on average, begins to decrease. These benefits apply to everyone, not just people with hypertension. According to a recent estimate, reducing Americans' average sodium intake to 2,300 mg per day could prevent 11 million cases of high blood pressure every year, and reducing sodium intake further would lead to even greater health benefits.
Sodium: How You Can Cut Back
Most of the sodium we consume is already in the food when we buy it, mainly in processed, packaged, and restaurant foods. Only a small percentage of the sodium we eat is added from the salt shaker during cooking or at the table. According to a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Vital Signs, most of the sodium Americans eat comes from 10 types of food. Foods like bread, cold cuts, pizza and poultry top the list.
There are a few simple steps you can take to control how much sodium you eat each day:
- Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, or frozen fruits and vegetables with no sauce or salt added.
- Read nutrition labels and choose lower sodium options.
- Cook meals at home from scratch, and use herbs and spices, rather than salt or packaged sauces, to season your foods.
- Ask restaurants for low sodium options or not to add salt to your food.
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