To Salt, or Not to Salt ...

Did you know?

• The body requires fewer than 500 mg of sodium per day.
• The recommended safe intake level is 1,500 to 3,000 mg per day.
• The average North American takes in up to 8,000 mg of sodium per day.
• Sodium holds water, which can aggravate blood pressure.
• A high intake of sodium promotes calcium excretion, which increases the risk of osteoporosis.

More Salt Facts...

• The salt shaker accounts for only one-fourth of the American intake of sodium. So taking the salt shaker off the table may not be enough!
• Processed foods account for half of the American intake of sodium. Read labels and avoid processed foods to reduce sodium intake.
• 1 teaspoon of salt contains 2,000 mg of sodium. Americans consume 1 to 4 teaspoons of salt in their diet daily, even if they never touch the saltshaker!

Notice below how foods start out low in sodium, and go up with processing.

REMEMBER: Processed foods are the largest contributor of sodium in the diet. Read labels, and choose more unprocessed (fresh) foods versus processed foods.