WANT TO AVOID 150,000 DEATHS, MINIMIZE THIS ONE INGREDIENT
a new Northwestern Medicine study conducted with the Center for Science in the Public Interest found that sodium content of food is as high as ever in selected processed foods and in fast-food restaurants. Over the last 10 years, there has been no voluntary reduction by the food manufacturers.
Excess sodium prematurely kills as many as 150,000 people in the U.S. each year. About 90 percent of the U.S. population develops high blood pressure and high salt in the diet is a major cause. High blood pressure increases the risk of developing heart attacks and strokes, often resulting in death or disability.
AHA recommends salt level for adult of 1500mg per day but Americans eat ~4000mg (>166% more than needed). Where does this salt come from?
The answer: PROCESSED FOOD
What do we mean by processed food?
Another way of looking at this alarming statistics of salt consumption (per CDC)
How much salt is too much for your kid?
“High salt content in food benefits the food industry and it masks the flavor of ingredients that are often not the best quality and also stimulates people to drink more soda and alcohol, which the industry profits from.” Per Stephen Havas, M.D., research professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern University.
So what can we do?
Happy snacking.
