Dear [$fname],

Salt is crucial for our health, but we eat far more than we need. Our bodies need the sodium ions in salt for a variety of essential bodily functions. Too much sodium has been linked to several health complications. High blood pressure, heart disease and stroke are the most common.

According to the National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine, and the Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services, healthy adults should not exceed 5.8 grams (2,300 milligrams) of sodium a day. We should actually target 3.7 grams per day. If we stayed within this range, it would have a tremendous effect, reducing the annual number of new cases of coronary heart disease, stroke and heart attack by half. It would similarly reduce the annual number of deaths from these diseases by half. All this could save $10 billion to $24 billion in health care annually!

Six grams of salt is a level teaspoonful. It is difficult to measure our consumption because the majority of the sodium (77% on average) comes from eating prepared or processed foods.

Salty tasting foods such as potato chips, bacon, cheese and olives are obvious culprits but bread, breakfast cereals, biscuits, baked beans and ready-made meals can be high in salt as well. Therefore it is very difficult to stay within the daily recommendation if the majority of your meals consist of processed food.

How can you tell how much you are getting in your diet? The food labels can be confusing and are often not complete. As a guide 0.5g or more of sodium per 100g is a high level. Below 0.5g is moderate and 0.1g is low. To calculate the amount of salt by weight, multiply the sodium content by 2.5.

Generally speaking, foods that do not have a label are not high in sodium. Fresh fruits and vegetables are extremely low in sodium. Dried fruits are higher in sodium. Frozen vegetables are typically quite low in sodium, but the canned version can have sodium added. Fresh meats and most dairy products are not usually high in sodium, unless they come in a box and are pre-prepared. Baked goods can be deceiving so be sure to check the label as there is sodium in baking soda and baking powder.

Our palates get accustomed to a certain level of salt, but they re-adjust after a few weeks of a lower salt diet. By decreasing your use of salt gradually, you will start to notice the taste of the food you are eating with less of a requirement for the saltshaker.

The best way to keep your sodium intake from climbing too high is to limit fast foods, prepared foods and otherwise processed foods. As a general rule, shop the periphery of the grocery store to limit your exposure to processed foods and therefore limit your sodium intake.

Best regards,

Belinda Barclay-White, MD
www.AZBreastnet.com