Sodium Under Fire

Fifty percent less salt by 2016.

That's the recommendation the American Medical Association sent to the government in 2006. The goal is to push food manufacturers to halve the amount of salt in processed and restaurant foods to decrease the rate of heart disease -- the leading cause of death in the United States -- and high blood pressure.

Where's the salt?

Before you curse the little Morton Umbrella Girl, here are the facts. According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, 77 percent of the average American's salt intake comes from processed and restaurant foods. Compare that to only 6 percent added by the saltshaker, and you can see why doctors are going after food manufacturers. You could chuck your saltshakers out the window, but that wouldn't even make a dent in average salt intake.

Any food with more than 480 mg of sodium per serving is considered a high-sodium food and should be avoided. If you eat three meals a day, your total sodium intake at each meal should be less than 800 mg. Add the sodium from snacks, and it's easy to understand why most people get two to three times the recommended amount. Morton was right: When it rains, it pours.

Salt guidelines

The American Heart Association recommends that healthy adults consume less than 2,300 milligrams (mg) per day of sodium -- that's about one teaspoon of table salt (table salt is a combination of sodium and chloride, and it's the sodium that contributes to high blood pressure). In fact, the body needs only 200 mg of sodium daily.

5 shocking sodium-filled foods

You know that potato chips are high in salt, but did you ever think about the salt content in these foods?

Some biscuits have nearly 600 mg of sodium. Compare that to a slice of whole-wheat bread at 130 mg. If you eat two biscuits at a meal (and who doesn't?), you've just consumed about half of your total daily sodium allotment.
Compare your cheese choices. One ounce of Kraft Singles pasteurized American cheese has 270 mg of sodium. But one ounce of Kraft Deli Deluxe Swiss cheese has less than one-fifth of that, at only 50 mg.
Who knew breakfast cereal could be high in sodium? One cup of Kellogg's Raisin Bran has 350 mg. Believe it or not, one packet of Quaker Oatmeal Nutrition for Women packs in 330 mg. Be sure to read the labels of your favorite breakfast cereals to check for sodium content. (Hint: One serving of Quaker Steel Cut Oats has no sodium.)
Only 1.5 ounces of Newman's Own Ranch salad dressing has 530 mg of sodium (some Newman's dressings have more than 700 mg!). Add that to your McDonald's Bacon Ranch Salad with Grilled Chicken (1,010 milligrams), and you've just blown most of your daily sodium allowance. Even a large order of McDonald's fries has only 350 mg of sodium (without adding extra salt, of course).
Half a cup of some spaghetti sauces has 770 milligrams of sodium. Most people use at least one cup on their pasta, which adds up to 67 percent of the recommended daily maximum. And that's without any cheese!

The bottom line

Three words of advice: Read the label. Before you buy any food, check out the sodium content in the "percent daily value" column. It's simple and fast, and it's easy to compare similar items. This works well everywhere except restaurants. Eating at home is therefore your best bet for reducing your sodium intake. Unfortunately, unless the government complies with the American Medical Association's recommendation, your dinner out could bring you one step closer to heart disease and high blood pressure. Kind of leaves a salty taste in your mouth, doesn't it?

More: Get helpful advice from the message boards -- try Heart Health, Ask the Nutritionist and many others.