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People always tell me I am going to die because I eat potato chips, but apparently potato chips are one the low end of high salt foods.
Top 10 sources of salt:
Salt: It's only half the battle
Bread ranked first among the 10 foods responsible for 44 percent of sodium intake in the U.S., followed by luncheon meats and pizza, according to "The 10 saltiest foods in the American Diet" by my colleagues over at The Stew. But the new report "Where's the sodium?" from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention leaves out an even more important fact: Americans don’t consume enough potassium, registered dietitian Andy Bellatti tweeted today. From a health standpoint, “limiting sodium is only half the battle,” Bellatti told me in an email. “Getting the required amounts of certain minerals -- especially calcium, potassium, and magnesium -- is just as important. Of course, the more processed a food, the higher its sodium (and lower its potassium).” Potassium is a mineral that helps the cells, tissues and organs function properly. It's also an electrolyte, a substance that conducts electricity in the body, along with sodium, chloride, calcium, and magnesium. It can help prevent and control high blood pressure and is important for normal digestive and muscular function.Bellatti praised the CDC report for identifying the top sources of sodium and for pointing out that sodium-laden food doesn’t necessarily taste salty. A Dunkin’ Donuts corn muffin, for example contains as much sodium as nine McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets. But he’s frustrated that sodium gets always gets the spotlight “because it inevitably leads to the food industry putting out 'reduced-sodium' versions of highly processed foods that are low in minerals,” he said. “A kale, avocado, and chickpea salad that contains 600 milligrams of sodium is much different from a highly processed TV dinner with that same amount,” he said. “The salad is very high in minerals, which mitigates the effect of sodium. In fact, a kale/avocado/chickpea salad that contains 600 mg of sodium is a much better option than a low-sodium TV dinner that offers half that amount, but also offers paltry amounts of potassium and magnesium.” Raisins, baked potatoes, lima beans, tomatoes and spinach all contain high amounts of potassium, according to this list. Here at the top 10 foods ranked by sodium content:
Too Much Salt? Try Holding the Bread By Gillian Mohney | ABC News Blogs – Wed, Feb 8, 2012 Americans trying to cut sodium from their diets may be surprised to learn that bread, not chips or pretzels, is a leading culprit . A new report from the Center for Disease Control found that bread and rolls are the top source of sodium in America's diet, more than double the percentage of savory snacks. "Breads and rolls aren't really saltier than many of the other foods, but people tend to eat a lot of them," said Mary Cogswell, a CDC senior scientist who co-authored the report. Along with bread, the CDC found that just ten food items contributed to 44 percent of the sodium consumed by Americans. On average, Americans currently consume nearly 3,300 milligrams of sodium per day, almost 1,000 more milligrams than is recommended by the CDC. The study, which looked at 7,227 Americans, found that bread accounted for more than 7 percent of subjects' daily sodium intake, followed by cold cuts, pizza, poultry, soups and sandwiches. Rounding out the top ten were foods such as cheese, pasta dishes, mixed meat dishes (such as meatloaf) and savory snacks, each of which added between 3 to 4 percent of the subjects' daily sodium consumption. A diet high in sodium has been linked to hypertension, which can lead to other severe health problems such as heart attack or stroke. At the time of the study, nearly 1/3 of American adults were suffering from hypertension. "Most Americans, if you just eat the food that's in front of you, will end up with high blood pressure," said Thomas Frieden, the director of the CDC. "Reducing sodium is one of the most effective, lowest cost, safest ways of doing that." The CDC estimates that if Americans lowered their daily sodium intake by 400mg, equivalent to a fraction of a teaspoon, approximately 28,000 lives could be saved and $7 billion saved annually in health care costs. Keith Ayoob, associate professor of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, says that eating less sodium should be just one factor in leading an overall healthy life. "I really want the government out of my stomach," said Ayoob, who recommends low-sodium snacks and an active lifestyle to combat hypertension. "What we ought to be doing is regulating ourselves." AP contributed to this report. |