The American Heart Association, the American Diabetes Association, and the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services, have recommended gradual reductions in the amount of salt we consume.

Why the focus on salt?

Sodium is an essential mineral that helps to maintain electrolyte balance and normal cell function. For most of us, table salt is our primary source of sodium, and is used as a flavor enhancer to add depth to sweet foods and bring out the flavor of meat and vegetable dishes. Nonetheless, for some people, too much sodium can be too much of a good thing. A diet high in sodium may increase the risk of high blood pressure, which can increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease.

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends decreasing salt intake to reduce the risk of high blood pressure because high blood pressure (hypertension) is a major risk factor for heart disease.¹ Other important lifestyle recommendations that reduce the risk of heart disease include achieving a healthy body weight by balancing calories and physical activity; eating a healthful diet rich in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains; limiting intake of saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol; minimizing intake of beverages and foods with added sugars; and for those who consume alcohol, drinking only in moderation.

How much sodium should your family consume?

The 2005 Dietary Guidelines recommend consuming less than 2,300 mg of sodium each day; that's approximately one teaspoon of salt.² Table salt (also known as sodium chloride) is approximately 40% sodium and 60% chloride. Individuals with high blood pressure, African-Americans, and middle-aged and older adults should aim to consume no more than 1,500 mg of sodium a day and meet the daily recommendation for potassium (4,700 mg). Increasing potassium has been shown to help reduce the risk of high blood pressure. Many vegetables and fruits, and the foods made with vegetables and fruits, are good sources of potassium.

To learn more about salt intake and your family, read: Sodium, Blood Pressure, and Children and Sodium, Blood Pressure, and Adults: Young and Old.

What can you do to help insure your family's sodium intake is on target?

1. Learn about the sodium content of the foods your family consumes:

• Read the Nutrition Facts label on the products you buy.
• On the label, the Percent Daily Value column will tell you the percentage of your daily sodium target provided by one label serving of the product.
• Note that if you serve more than the single label serving, you will need to multiply the values by the number of servings. For example, if you have two servings of chips, and each serving provides 15% of the Daily Value of sodium, in the two servings you will consume 30% of the daily value of sodium (15%DV x 2 = 30%DV).
• Overall, it is important to be aware of portion sizes as you watch your weight and match the calories you eat to meet your body's needs.
• Some restaurants provide nutrition information on their menus or on their websites. If you don't see the information you need, ask. If you would like your food prepared without added salt, let your server know.

2. Learn to balance sodium intake.

• If you eat more sodium at one meal, balance the next meal with foods with lower levels of sodium.
• If you indulge in a high-sodium food, choose a reduced, lower sodium food to help balance your sodium intake throughout the day.

3. While there is no need to eliminate favorite foods from your family's menus, you should look for products that offer choices when it comes to sodium levels. Here's how:

• Look for clues like "low sodium" or "reduced sodium," or "healthy" on product labels to provide your family with options to help balance daily intakes of sodium.
• Campbell's® condensed soups now have 21 more varieties with lower sodium sea salt added for lower sodium and great taste, making over 40 condensed soups in all with this sea salt.
• Campbell also offers an extensive selection of products with healthy levels of sodium (480 mg or less per serving) such as Campbell's® Healthy Request® Tomato and V8® juices, and 40 varities of Select Harvest® soups, (including light and microwavable bowls). In addition, Campbell's® 25 varieties of Healthy Request® soups (including Chunky™, condensed and Select Harvest® varieties) provide 410mg of sodium per serving. Campbell's® Tomato soup also meets the healthy level for sodium at 480mg per serving.
• 6 varieties of Pepperidge Farm® bread are now made with less sodium, including 100% Natural 100% Whole Wheat, 100% Natural 9 Grain, 100% Natural German Dark Wheat, as well as Original White, Oatmeal, and Stone Ground 100% Whole Wheat.

4. Need menu ideas? We've designed delicious daily menu plans that provide either 2,300 and 1,500 mg of sodium and that follow the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet.

5. Try some of these great-tasting nutritious recipes, like Apricot Chicken Salad Sandwiches and Cajun Fish.

Heart healthy dietary practices should begin early and be a lifelong practice. Starting children off when they are young with positive habits that promote physical activity and healthful diets in line with the Dietary Guidelines are excellent first steps. Since the risks of developing cardiovascular disease dramatically increase with age, we need to evaluate our activity and eating patterns aimed to reduce risks as we get older to insure we are on track. Even relatively small changes can translate to big risk reductions.

 

¹Lichtenstein AH, et al. Diet and Lifestyle Recommendation Revision 2006. A Scientific Statement from the American Heart Association Nutrition Committee. Circulation 2006;114:82-96. http://circ.aha.journals.org

²US Department of Health and Human Services; US Dept of Agriculture. Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 2005. 6 th ed. Washington DC: US Government Printing Office; 2005.