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See the August, 2024 AMA/FDA update at the end of this 4/24 post:
By Paul Goldfinger, MD, FACC. Co-author of “Prevention Does Work: A Guide to a Healthy Heart.” 4/24.
Here is a link to a 2013 Blogfinger post which explains the definitions of salt and sodium;
This small 15-ounce can of cooked peas in water contains 3 1/2 servings. Most of us can easily eat the whole can because it seems healthy to do so and it goes down easy. One portion has 380 mg (milligrams) of sodium (salt). The whole can contains 1,330 mg. sodium. That’s a huge amount, but not unusual for many processed foods such as canned soups.
On the other hand, a 16-ounce package of frozen raw mixed vegetables (Wegman’s “Just Picked and Quickly Frozen” Japanese Stir Fry) has 5 servings, but each serving has only 10 mg. of sodium. If you eat the whole package, you get only 50 mg. of sodium. If you buy the Wegman’s shelled green peas in a microwave bag, the sodium content is zero and the nutritional value is probably better if you enjoy them raw than if you eat the cooked peas in a can.
Salt contains sodium and chloride, but the sodium is the important component. The American Heart Association recommends that we all consume less than one teaspoon of salt per day. A teaspoon of salt has 2,300 mg. of sodium.
We all should try to keep our sodium intake under 2,000 mg. This includes what’s in your food and what you add to food. Learn to wean yourself off added salt. Fresh corn on the cob seems to beg for salt, but you can get used to enjoying it without the sodium chloride. Avoid processed foods because they often contain extra salt, unless you find a product like our frozen vegetables.
When you read labels, ignore everything on the package except the ingredients. Look for the mg. of sodium. Also look for portion size, because sodium content (along with all other ingredients) is given according to a portion size which may be surprisingly small.
Fresh foods are always best. Processed foods often have added sodium for taste and/or preservation. Please read labels and make good choices for you and your families. Latest update below.
FDA lays out goals to reduce sodium levels in packaged, processed foods by 20%. 8/17/24Reuters (8/15, Vanaik) reports the FDA “on Thursday laid out fresh goals to cut sodium levels in packaged and processed foods by about 20%, after its prior efforts to address a growing epidemic of diet-related chronic diseases showed early signs of success.” In October 2021, the FDA “had set guidelines to trim sodium levels in foods ranging from potato chips to hamburgers in a bid to prevent excessive intake of salt that can trigger high blood pressure.” The FDA “is now seeking voluntary curbs from packaged-food makers such as PepsiCo, Kraft Heinz and Campbell Soup.” The agency “wants to cut sodium intake over the next three years to an average of 2,750 milligrams per day – 20% lower than the levels prior to 2021. |
Now you can’t say that a doctor never told you this stuff.
Cheer up—-here’s Leon Redbone:
David. You are correct, but when discussing salt in foods, it is sodium chloride.(NaCl) which is most relevant .
Paul
Salt substitutes with potassium chloride can be problematic for persons with reduced kidney function.
👍. Good advice!