We all know that too much Salt is bad for us. Specifically, it’s bad for our hearts. And we all agree that it’s a good idea to cut down on Salt. But there’s a conspiracy of circumstances in our lives that makes it almost impossible to keep track of our Salt intake. And, as a result, we’re all getting too much…
Processed, prepared and Fast Foods… Oh, so yummy. Oh, so Salty!
A new study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, by the University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, reveals that most Americans consume at least two teaspoons of Salt each day. That’s 3,730 mg, or more than twice the daily adult allowance recommended by the World Health Organization. That’s bad for the heart. In fact, the study showed that those who consumed more than two teaspoons of Salt a day had enlarged hearts and evidence of heart strains that are common precursors to heart attacks.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also says that most Americans consume 50 per cent more than the recommended daily ‘dose’ of Salt, and that’s probably why one third have high blood pressure.
Why?
Folks don’t get up in the morning and say, “I’m going to eat way more Salt today than the experts recommend. Yup! I wanna wreck my heart!” That would just be crazy. The truth is, folks don’t realize how much Salt they’re consuming through a typical day, because they can’t ‘see’ it. And that’s because they eat so much prepared food, whether out of the microwave at home or from restaurants. Processed foods are notorious for harbouring high levels of Salt, and there’s no way to control that short of eating less processed food. But many people these days have lifestyles that don’t allow them time to make fresh meals, where the ingredients are under their control.
What can we do?
It’s obvious! Eat less processed and prepared food. But that takes a commitment to make the time to prepare your own meals and to prepare them responsibly. On the other hand, you can opt for convenience now and deal with heart disease down the road…
~ Maggie J.