know it all

SURPRISING FACTS & CLEVER TIPS

Your body needs salt to function, but eating too much salt on a regular basis can put you at risk for health problems. What to do? Set daily limits and keep track of how much you’re eating.

is 1,500 mg sodium

Daily amount recommended by

the American Heart Association

1

is 3,400 mg sodium

M K

Daily amount the average American eats

How long it generally

8-12

WEEKS

takes for people’s tastes to change

If you gradually add smaller amounts of salt to your food and eat fewer

salty foods, your tastes will adapt to enjoying a less salty flavor.

Americans has high blood pressure

High-sodium diets are linked to an

1 3

IN

increase in blood pressure and a higher risk for heart disease and stroke.

Eating less sodium may help you lower your high blood pressure or prevent it from developing in the first place.

Too much sodium also makes your body get rid of more calcium in your urine. When your body loses calcium, your risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures is higher.

8 HEALTHYADVICE.COM

»

75%

the processed and prepared food you eat.

is already in

Read the Nutrition Facts

labels on the foods you eat so you know how much sodium you’re getting.

And remember, fresh foods are lower in sodium than prepared foods.

teaspoon of salt

BY THE NUMBERS: Shake the Salt Habit

»

teaspoon of salt

of the sodium you eat each day comes from the salt shaker.

Table salt, a.k.a. sodium

25%

chloride, is 40% sodium and 60% chloride.

0 mg

1 apple

1 mg

1 banana

1 cup brown rice ½ cup of raw carrots

10 mg 20 mg

56 mg

3 oz salmon

½ chicken breast

64 mg

◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆

High Sodium Culprits

658 mg

1 cup of canned vegetable juice cocktail

1 cup of canned beef stew

947 mg

1 tablespoon of soy sauce 1 fast-food egg and cheese biscuit

1,005 mg 1,250 mg

◆ ◆ ◆ ◆

1,700 mg

1 large dill pickle

Major sources of sodium: tomato

sauce, canned soups, condiments, canned foods and prepared mixes.

HealthyAdvice.com

Check out our site for more surprising facts and clever tips.

SOURCES: AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION, CENTER FOR SCIENCE IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST, NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH, NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE, UNIVERSITY OF MAINE COOPERATIVE EXTENSION

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