SALT
{
NaCl sodium chloride a.k.a
SALT
the aver age american should consume between
1,500 and
2,300 mg of sodium in a single day
2,300 mg
{
is equal to
1 tsp of table salt
[to put it into perspective]
if you are
51 or older
or african american or have high blood pressure
diabetes or
{
kidney disease
[ in other words , half of the us population ]
you should only consume
1,500 mg of sodium in a single day
HOWEVER, THE AVERAGE
AMERICAN CONSUMES
4,000 mg of sodium
DAILY [ ] think about it
{
too much sodium in your diet can cause
extreme thirst
shakiness
disorientation
dizziness
swelling muscle cramps
acid reflux heart burn depression breathlessness
dehydration
{
[continued]
gastric ulcers
vertigo hormone imbalance
osteoporosis kidney disorders
hypertension chronic fatigue
heart attack heart disease
stroke heart failure
high sodium diets are
leading factors in
400,000 deaths per year [roughly 1 in 5 deaths]
don’t be a
statistic .
processed and
packaged
{
foods are the highest
in sodium
{
chili’s original ribs
6,510 mg of sodium
{
mcdonald’s
big mac
1,040 mg of sodium
{
taco bell 5-layer burrito
1,270 mg of sodium
{
campbell’s
chicken noodle
1,780 mg of sodium
mom’s
{
homemade
bologna & cheese [made with lots of love & sealed in a bag with your name on it ]
1,000 mg of sodium
[it all adds up when you’re
not paying attention ]
other high sodium
{
foods to include are
hot dogs
sausage cold cuts
bacon
smoked ham potato chips
pretzels assorted nuts
crackers
popcorn
{
[continued]
soy sauce
ketchup
dill pickles
bouillon salad dressing
olives
tomato sauce
all soups
cheese canned vegetables
it is not impossible to reduce
sodium in your diet
pay attention to
how much
sodium is in the foods you eat
take the
salt
shaker
off the table
cut
back on eating out
eat
fresh foods
use
herbs and
spices instead of salt
and most importantly
instead of saying
pass the salt say:
i’ll pass on the
SALT
www.theheart.org