You think you’re eating healthy. You drive past the drive-thru, skip soda pop and eat your vegetables. In fact, a typical lunch for you is a can of minestrone soup with saltine crackers or a low-fat frozen entrée. But these seemingly good choices have one major thing going against them – salt.

According to James Sur, MD, an interventional cardiologist with Adventist Bolingbrook, Adventist Hinsdale and Adventist La Grange Memorial Hospitals, the American diet is loaded with sodium or, simply put: salt. “On average, we’re taking in six times more sodium than we need on a daily basis,” he says.

How much salt is too much?
Sodium is a necessary evil. Nearly every cell in the body needs sodium to function, and your kidneys do a great job making sure these levels are regulated. But too little and your vascular system becomes dehydrated. However, consuming too much sodium can cause your body to retain water, which can lead to high blood pressure and complicate other medical problems.

In America, about one-third of the population has high blood pressure (hypertension) and an additional third of adults have prehypertension. High blood pressure is a strong risk factor for heart disease and stroke.

With so many adults battling this condition, why don’t food manufacturers decrease the sodium content in their products? There are two answers: sodium adds flavor and is a preservative that helps foods stay fresh for longer.

Healthy adults should strive for less than 2,400 milligrams of sodium per day, or about one teaspoon of salt. Those with high blood pressure should aim for less than 1,500 milligrams per day. In reality, most Americans consume two teaspoons of salt per day.

But before you go and hide the saltshaker, think about this – about 75 percent of the sodium we consume comes from packaged and processed foods. “The saltshaker is just the tip of the iceberg,” Dr. Sur says. “We really need to look at what we are eating on a daily basis.” Foods with the highest sodium content include:

• Frozen dinners
• Canned soups and vegetables
• Tomato sauce and juice
• Ham, sausage and hot dogs
• Condiments, such as ketchup, mustard and soy sauce
• Baked goods, such as muffins, cakes and cookies

Shake the habit
According to Dr. Sur, everyone should watch their sodium intake — including teens. Recent research suggests that teenagers may be consuming up to 9,000 mg of sodium per day. Hypertension is still on the rise and occurring at younger ages than ever before. “Just because you don’t have hypertension doesn’t mean you get a free pass on salt,” he says. To keep sodium in check, follow these tips:

1. Look for low-sodium versions of the products listed above.
2. Season your food with herbs or other flavorings instead of salt, such as garlic powder, basil or lemon juice.
3. When dining out, ask the waiter to have your meal prepared without salt.
4. At the grocery store, read nutrition labels. Some foods you’d think would be low in sodium, such as cereal, may not be.
5. Rinse canned beans and vegetables to remove some of the added salt.

To help win the war on sodium, Dr. Sur believes awareness is key. At Adventist Midwest Health, their nutritionists and dietitians are available to educate patients on how to reduce sodium intake and customize meal plans. To view sample eating plans aimed at lowering blood pressure, view the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) eating plan.

To schedule an appointment with one of our nutritionists or dietitians, call 866-533-7968.