The Dish on Salt
Too much sodium is probably less than you think – here’s how to kick the habit for your health
Measure out one level teaspoon of salt.
That’s 2,325 milligrams of sodium, close to the limit that you should consume daily, whether from a saltshaker or the food you eat.
But if you’re eating a typical American diet heavy on processed food, you’re getting almost twice that.
High-sodium diets could increase your risk of developing hypertension, in turn leading to heart disease, kidney decline or stroke.
(Sodium is an essential mineral your body needs in minute amounts. Table salt is sodium combined with chloride. Many health experts use sodium and salt interchangeably when giving recommendations.)
In addition, your salt habit may make you heavier by increasing your food cravings and making you bloated, according to sisters Lyssie Lakatos and Tammy Lakatos Shames, registered dietitians, New York City.
Although both hypertension and weight gain are more likely when you’re older, you should make dietary changes regardless of age.
“We should all be concerned about sodium because of the health implications--fluid retention, high blood pressure and other cardiovascular risks,” says Jeannie Gazzaniga-Moloo, PhD, registered dietitian, spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.
Good advice, but challenging to incorporate.
Even if you avoid adding salt to your food, it’s hard to stay within the guidelines of 2,400 milligrams a day, unless you pay close attention to your food choices.
“Most of the sodium in the diet comes from foods we don’t think about,” says Gazzaniga-Moloo, author of “The No-Salt, Lowest-Sodium Cookbook” (St. Martin’s Griffin/Thomas Dunne Books, 2002).
Sodium is a natural part of dairy foods as well as some fruits and vegetables. Processed foods, such as canned soups, vegetables and breads, tend to be high in sodium as well.
Eating a low-fat diet, while healthy in many respects, won’t necessarily protect you.
“With a [processed poultry] turkey sandwich you can get almost a day’s worth of sodium,” says Lyssie Lakatos, co-author with her sister of “The Secret to Skinny: How Salt Makes You Fat and the 4-Week Plan to Drop a Size & Get Healthier with Simple Low-Sodium Swaps” (Health Communications Inc., 2009).
To reduce sodium:
• Read the Nutrition Facts panels, compare products and select the lowest sodium brands.
• Switch from processed food to cooked-from scratch dishes.
• Opt for frozen vegetables, not canned, which usually have more added sodium.
• Don’t use the salt shaker until after you take your first bite of food.
• Be patient.
“It may take as much as 21 days [for your taste buds to adjust]. After that, you’re tasting the flavor of the food, rather than relying on salt for flavor,” says Lyssie Lakatos.
Bev Bennett, a veteran food writer and editor, is the author of "Dinner for Two: A Cookbook for Couples" and "30-Minute Meals for Dummies"
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