An article in the January issue of the Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter highlighted the top six sources of sodium in todays American diet.
Its not just French fries and potato chips, according to the American Heart Association, which has listed the Salty Six to increase awareness of common foods that may be loaded with excess sodium.
They may surprise you.
* Bread and rolls. One slice of bread or roll can contain as much as 230 milligrams of sodium.
* Cold cuts and cured meats. Deli or pre-packaged turkey can have as much as 1,050 milligrams.
* Pizza. One slice can contain up to 760 milligrams.
* Poultry. Choose your chicken wisely, avoiding products enhanced with a sodium solution. Just 3 ounces of fast-food-style nuggets can contain almost 600 milligrams of sodium.
* Soup. One cup of canned chicken noodle soup can have up to 940 milligrams of sodium.
* Sandwiches. A sandwich can easily top 1,500 milligrams of sodium.
Its clear Americans have developed quite at taste for salt, and we know salt plays a role in high blood pressure.
Dietary guidelines for Americans recommend everyone, including kids, should reduce their sodium intake to less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium a day, or about 1 teaspoon of salt.
Adults 51 and older, African Americans of any age, and persons with high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney disease should further reduce their sodium intake to 1,500 mg a day.
Learning to enjoy flavorful foods without all the sodium may take a little practice, and require you to adjust your taste buds, but it can be done.
Begin by cutting back on salt little by little; pay attention to the natural tastes of various foods. Before you know it, your taste for salt will lessen.
Cooking at home is a great place to start because you control whats in your food.
Skip the salt when cooking. Use herbs, spices, garlic, vinegar, no-salt seasoning mixes, pepper, or lemon juice instead.
Pay attention to condiments you might add to recipes, however. Foods like soy sauce, ketchup, pickles, olives, salad dressings and some seasoning packets are high in sodium.
