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FOODS WITH UNHEALTHY AMOUNTS OF SALT

Recently the U.S. Department of Health reccomended that total daily sodium consumption be kept to no more than 1500 mg. per day for people over age 50 and 2300 mg. per day if you are 50 or below.

The average person consumes over 3500 mg. of sodium a day.
Too much salt can cause bloating and increase blood pressure both of which can strain our hearts and lead to heart failure. 

Top 10 High Salt Foods

  1. Hot Dog – 1300 mg
  2. Sausages 1200 mg
  3. Cheese Nachos – 1250 mg.
  4. Soy Sauce (1 tbsp) – 1000 mg.
  5. Canned Soups – 600 – 1000 mg.
  6. Processed Meats;  3 oz Corned Beef – 1700 mg …. 3 oz. Dried Beef 4000 mg.
  7. Wheat Flakes – 800 mg.
  8. Canadian BAcon – 2500 mg.
  9. Bouillon Cubes – 5000 mg.
  10. Processed Cheese 1200 mg.

More Dangerous than Radiation: This Common Everyday Ingredient is a Much Greater Risk to Your Health, Heart and Life

Though millions of people are concerned about the health risks posed by radiation, a much more real risk, that you can’t avoid, and consume on a daily basis, is something you must pay attention to.

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Los Angeles Times March 22, 2011

Enjoying that cottage cheese? We have a bit of bad news for you — a cup of the stuff could contain roughly 1,000 milligrams of sodium, a little less than half of what you should consume in an entire day. Using three packets of ketchup on those fries? There’s another 534 milligrams.

Making people aware of how much sodium may be in certain foods is the idea behind a series of “Salt Shocker” videos produced by the L.A. County Department of Public Health’s RENEW LA County initiative as part of their sodium awareness program. Don’t let the title scare you — there’s no blood or gore in these videos, just a friendly reminder that some foods, such as cottage cheese, pack more salt than many people realize. By the way, we’re in the midst of World Salt Awareness Week (March 21-27).

The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services recommend consuming no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day, but people 51 and older, African Americans and those with high blood pressure or chronic kidney disease should consume no more than 1,500 milligrams per day.

“We consume so much salt, and most of it comes from processed foods and restaurant fare,” says registered dietitian Suzanne Bogert, director of the initiative. “We talk so much about fat and sugar in food, but I feel like salt is the other white substance. And just like fat and sugar make food tastes good, so does salt.”

If you need to cut down on salt she suggests doing it gradually. A few tips: Taste your food before you salt it; add non-salty spices such as basil and rosemary; and read food and restaurant labels. Also, avoid obvious sodium-filled foods such as chips, foods that are brined or smoked and most soups. Many supermarkets also offer low-salt versions of foods such as canned vegetables. But Bogert said even rinsing canned veggies before eating them can cut way down on sodium levels.

“It’s going to take time,” she says, “but you can adjust your palate.”

Copyright © 2011, Los Angeles Times