AMA calls for reduced sodium

As you may have seen reported on the news and in newspapers, the American Medical Association has called for a minimum of 50% reduction in the amount of sodium (salt) in processed foods, fast foods, and restaurant meals, along with other measures to reduce the amount of sodium in America's diet.

Too much sodium in your diet can contribute to high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. About 65 million Americans already have high blood pressure, which is affected not only by salt intake, but also lack of exercise, obesity, and alcohol consumption.

What can you do to minimize your salt intake?

Read nutrition labels. The maximum daily allowance, according to the US Dietary Guidelines, is under 2300 milligrams for those under the age of 50. That's about a teaspoon of salt a day.

Minimize processed foods and fast foods. The best way to control your salt intake is to cook your own food. All the recipes on this website are labeled as to whether they'll fit into a low-sodium diet. Here's an index to low-sodium recipes.

Never add salt to your food until after you've tasted it. I've written about the way your taste buds learn to perceive saltiness in Do Your Taste Buds Learn?, and it's clear that your perception of the saltiness of food is dependent on how much salt you're used to eating.

First posted: June 30, 2006