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Re-activateInterestingly, a vast majority of our sodium comes from packaged foods and restaurants, not home cooking. Thomas Farley, M.D., New York City's health commissioner, recently visited Consumers Union while publicizing the National Salt Reduction Initiative, a coalition of public-health organizations and city and state health departments. Its goal is to work with manufacturers and restaurants to reduce the amount of sodium in the food they make and serve by 25 percent over the next few years. A similar effort already under way in the United Kingdom has cut sodium content there by 40 percent in some products.
"Consumers can always add salt to food, but they can't take it out," Farley said. "If we can reduce the sodium levels in packaged and restaurant foods, we will give consumers more choice about the amount of salt they eat, and reduce their risk of heart disease and stroke in the process." And with most of the sodium in our diet coming from outside our own kitchens, it's hard not to exceed the recommended limits— 1,500 milligrams of sodium a day for most adults—without help. So thanks in advance to the manufacturers and restaurateurs who step up to the dinner plate!—Ronni Sandroff, Health and Family editorial director
Heavy-handed with the salt shaker? Take our quiz to find out how much sodium is hidden in some foods, watch our video on our staffs' tests of low-sodium vs. high-sodium foods, and take a look at our tips on reducing your salt intake .
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