Top 10 Sources Of Sodium In Your Diet

Health experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are sounding the alarm over sodium. Almost all Americans, they say, consume more of it in their diets than they should.

Too much sodium increases a person's risk for high blood pressure. High blood pressure often leads to heart disease, stroke, and other vascular diseases.

Most consumers don't coat their food with salt and therefore, are not aware of how much sodium they are consuming. Most of our daily sodium intake comes from processed foods and meals served in restaurants.

What are the biggest sources of excess sodium? The CDC counts 10.

• Bread and rolls
• Luncheon meat
• Pizza
• Poultry
• Soup
• Cheeseburgers and other sandwiches
• Cheese
• Pasta dishes
• Meat dishes such as meat loaf
• Snack foods such as chips and popcorn

Bread can be a killer

Some foods that are consumed several times a day, such as bread, add up to a lot of sodium even though each serving is not high in sodium.

“Too much sodium raises blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke,” said CDC Director Thomas R. Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. “These diseases kill more than 800,000 Americans each year and contribute an estimated $273 billion in health care costs.”

The report notes that the average person consumes about 3,300 milligrams of sodium per day, not including any salt added at the table. That's twice the recommended daily limit for about 50 percent of the population.

The recommendation is 1,500 milligrams per day for people aged 51 and older, and anyone with high blood pressure, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease, and African Americans. The CDC has a special section of its website that can help you reduce sodium in your diet.