|
THE National Salt Reduction Initiative being led by the New York City Department of Health calls for packaged food producers and restaurants to reduce the salt content in their foods and meals by 25% over the next five years.
The initiative responds to research published last month in the New England Journal of Medicine indicating that reducing dietary salt could prevent thousands of heart attacks, strokes and deaths every year and save as much as $10 billion to $24 billion in annual health care costs.
The article suggests that a salt reduction strategy would have health benefits similar to quit smoking or weight loss strategies.
The American Heart Assn. (AHA) published new recommendations last week urging Americans to hold their dietary salt intake to 1,500 mg per day, down from previous recommendations of 2,300 mg. The average American consumes more than 10 g of salt per day.
As a reference, 1,500 mg of salt, the newly recommended level, is the equivalent of two-thirds of a teaspoon.
Stirring, not shaking
One issue is not that Americans shake the salt shaker too much -- although less salt shaking in the kitchen and at the table is still a good idea, according to experts -- but that salt, in the form of sodium, has become ubiquitous in packaged foods and restaurant meals.
Indeed, about 75-80% of dietary salt intake comes from processed foods, according to the journal article. The research was directed by Dr. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, an associate professor in epidemiology and medicine at the University of California-San Francisco.
Another issue is that a lot of foods that don't taste "salty" have a lot of sodium in them, including breads, cheese, milk, processed meats (bacon, ham, lunch meats and canned meats like chicken and tuna) and canned vegetables. Even ice cream has a high sodium content.
Accordingly, it's very difficult for individuals to limit their sodium intake, and Americans tend to consume twice the recommended amount every day, according to AHA.
It also can be frustrating because the best means to reduce salt intake is to eat fresh, non-processed foods such as fresh meats, fruits and vegetables with meals prepared from scratch -- a pretty tall order for a convenience-oriented, time-starved society, sources added.
Necessary nutrient
It should be noted, of course, that sodium is used in processed foods for flavor and as a preservative to extend shelf life. It's why a can of peas can be safely stored in the pantry for weeks, sources said.
Furthermore, Morton Satin, director for regulatory and technical affairs at the Salt Institute, said the New York City initiative "is based on a false premise and shaky science."
He said there is no doubt that certain individuals with high blood pressure may experience modest declines in their blood pressure from reduced salt consumption, but "it has by no means been scientifically established that a population-wide reduction will benefit health outcomes."
Satin said he also has concerns over the potential unintended consequences of salt substitutes, many of which have never been tested for interactions and toxicities at the levels necessary to replace sodium.
Salt is a natural and necessary nutrient that has been used for thousands of years, he said, emphasizing that the key to health still involves a healthful, moderate diet along with good hygiene and exercise.
The American Meat Institute (AMI) also noted that salt has been used for thousands of years and was so valuable that it was even allocated as pay to Roman soldiers.
In a fact sheet, AMI said salt is essential for human development and health, for decreasing -- if not preventing -- microbial growth and, therefore, for food safety and for flavor.
AMI, like Satin, recognizes that doctors do recommend low-sodium diets for patients with hypertension to prevent diabetes and heart problems but said most fresh meat is naturally low in sodium: A broiled 3.5 oz. hamburger, for instance, has just 77 mg of sodium.
AMI said meat processors also are actively moving to produce reduced-sodium products such as hot dogs with 250 mg of sodium or less; bacon, breakfast sausage, ham and deli meats with 140 mg of sodium or less and even deli meats with 35 mg of sodium or less.
Of the 20 foods that contribute the most sodium to diets, only three are meats, AMI said.
Still, all food processors are responding to concerns surrounding sodium content, and reduced-sodium foods are a key trend, AMI said, noting that databases show that 428 low-salt products were introduced in 2006, 542 in 2007 and 533 in 2008.
AMI suggested that additional dietary research is needed to better understand sodium's role in health outcomes and to determine reduced-sodium formulations of products that will be acceptable, from a flavor perspective, to consumers.
Terms: Consumers shopping for lower-sodium food products should look for labels that describe a product as "reduced sodium," which means it has 75% less sodium than the original formulation.
Also, a food product would be considered "low sodium" if it has 140 mg of sodium or less per serving, "very low sodium" if it has 35 mg or less per serving and "no sodium" if it has 5 mg or less per serving.
Hint: The sodium content of a can of vegetables, including a can of baked beans, can be reduced as much as 30-40% by draining the can and rinsing the contents for 30 seconds before cooking. | 
