Can Salty Foods Really Affect Your Health?
Mayor Bloomberg is cracking down on sodium-filled foods. But does he have a good case? We investigate!
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It started with the ban of trans fats, followed by the listing of nutritional information on menus, and now New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is planning to crackdown on salt. Over the next five years, the mayor is looking to cut the amount of sodium used in processed and restaurant foods by 25 percent in an effort to improve the overall health of Manhattanites. This would lead to a lot of big changes for both fast food and local restaurants. But what we want to know is, should we brace for blander diets or should we take this with a grain of salt? We went to iMag's go-to Registered Dietitian, Cynthia Sass to get the facts on the new assault on salt.
Q: Where does the salt that we consume come from?
A: Salt in our diets comes from two major sources: table salt added during or after cooking (which contains about 2,300 milligrams of sodium per level teaspoon), and sodium added in food processing.
Q: How much sodium is safe for an average person to consume on a daily basis?
A: In the United States, the maximum daily sodium recommendation is 1,500 to 2,300 milligrams (the lower limit if you have high blood pressure or heart disease risks, the higher limit if you're healthy) but the average person consumes about 3,400 milligrams per day, according to a recent study and other estimates are much higher. About 70 percent of the sodium in the American diet is from processed foods.
Q: Why is too much sodium so bad for you?
A: Fluid is attracted to sodium like a magnet. So when you take in too much sodium, you retain more fluid. This extra fluid creates stress on your heart, which has to pump the fluid through your body. The extra work load on the heart and pressure on the artery walls can damage the cardiovascular system and raise blood pressure. Having high blood pressure puts you at greater risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, and other series health problems. Experts estimate that reducing our sodium intakes to the recommended levels could result in 11.1 million fewer cases of high blood pressure each year.
Q: How is sodium intake related to obesity?
A: The tie between sodium and obesity is three fold.
1. Salty foods tend to increase thirst and many people quench that thirst with sweetened beverages like soda or sweet tea, which contribute hundreds of extra empty calories in the form of sugar. One study estimated that if the amount of sodium in an average child's diet was cut in half, his consumption of sugary drinks would decrease by two per week.
2. Salt enhances the taste of foods and therefore may encourage overeating.
3. There is some animal research to show that a high sodium diet may affect the activity of fat cells, making them larger.
Q: How can a person reduce their sodium intake?
A: The number one way to reduce sodium is to eat fewer processed foods and more fresh, whole foods. A single serving of frozen pizza can pack over 1,800 milligrams, but sodium is also found in unexpected sources. For example, a four ounce blueberry scone contains 780 milligrams of sodium.
Q: What are some examples of restaurant foods out there that are shockingly high in salt?
A: A large classic Italian sub from Quiznos has 3,930 milligrams of sodium and an order of boneless buffalo wings with blue cheese dressing from Chili's has 4,130 milligrams of sodium.
Q: Are there some healthy options out there that are low in sodium?
A: Baked haddock from Uno Chicago Grill has 270 milligrams of sodium and an order of salmon steamed with ginger and steamed brown rice from PF Chang's has 355 milligrams of sodium.
Based on Cynthia's answers, the bottom line is that too much salt can be harmful to your health. Whether you support Mayor Bloomberg's plan or not, it is extremely important to take note of the amount of sodium in your diet. This doesn't mean you can't ever eat saltines, just try to use salt sparingly. For more ways to improve your diet and stay healthy check out the nutrition section of iMag's Food Page.
Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD, is a Manhattan-based nutritionist and the creator & co-author of the "Flat Belly Diet." She is also the co-author of, "The Ultimate Diet Log." In addition, Cynthia is a Contributing Editor for SHAPE Magazine and a Nutrition Consultant for the Philadelphia Phillies. For more information check out her Web Site: http://www.cynthiasass.com/.
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