Eating
too many salty foods can create all sorts of health problems, including
high
blood pressure. But did you know a lot of
common foods are packed with excess sodium? It’s not just the french fries and
potato chips you need to be careful with.
That’s why the
American Heart Association/American Stroke Association is increasing awareness
of sodium and the “Salty Six” – common foods that may be loaded with excess
sodium that can increase your risk for heart
disease and stroke.
Sodium
overload is a major health problem in the United States. The average American
consumes about 3,400 milligrams of sodium a day – more than twice the 1,500
milligrams recommended by the American Heart Association/American Stroke
Association. That’s in large part because of our food supply; more than 75
percent of our sodium consumption comes from processed and restaurant foods.
Be sure to keep in mind that different brands
and restaurant preparation of the same foods may have different sodium levels.
The American
Heart Association's Heart-Check mark—whether
in the grocery store or restaurant helps shoppers see through the clutter on
grocery store shelves to find foods that help you build a heart-healthy
diet.
Sodium doesn’t just affect your heart health, but your
physical appearance as well. Excess sodium consumption may make your face feel
puffy, give you bags under your eyes, increase swelling in your fingers and
make your jeans look, and feel, tighter. In fact, from an American Heart
Association/American Stroke Association consumer poll, 75 percent of
respondents stated that their pants feeling too tight is their least favorite
effect of bloating which may be associated with excess sodium consumption.
As you gear up for your next grocery store run or order from the menu, keep
the Salty Six in mind. All you need to do to make a heart-healthy choice is to
look for the Heart-Check mark. Another helpful tool is the Nutrition
Facts label on the package and calorie labeling in restaurants, which
together with the Heart-Check mark helps you make wise choices for the foods
you and your family eat. Make the effort to choose products that contain less
sodium. It’s worth it!
Share
the Salty Six Infographic now!
Here’s a quick look
at the Salty Six, the top sources for sodium in today’s diet (download
the infographic as a pdf):
1Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), Vital Signs: Food
Categories Contributing the Most to Sodium Consumption—United States,
2007–2008, February 10, 2012 / 61(05);92-98.