Hold the salt

Better Nutrition, May, 2004

If you haven't been doing so already, it might be time to start keeping track of your salt intake.

The new North American nutrition report, released in February 2004, raises concern about the amount of salt in Western diets.

Traditionally, government health officials have recommended a maximum intake of 2,400 milligrams (mg) of salt daily. But the study concludes that salt levels over 1,500 mg pose a serious risk of stroke, high blood pressure and kidney disease.

So how much salt is the average person eating now? A honkin' 4,000 mg a day. Most of that sodium comes not from the saltshaker but from sodium-laden processed foods.

On the other hand, while noting that we eat too much salt, the same nutrition report suggests that we aren't 'getting enough potassium. Along with supplements, them are a host of foods (see chart) that are rich in potassium--a nutrient critical in lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of kidney stones and bone loss.

{300,000,000 number of people worldwide who are more than 20 percent overweight as compared to roughly 200 million people in 1995--just 9 years ago.

SOURCE: The International Obesity Task Force}

TOP 12 DIETARY SOURCES OF POTASSIUM

Source                            Calories    Potassium (milligrams)

Baked Potato w/Skin                 220                844
Spinach (cooked, 1 cup)              41                839
Prune Juice (1 cup)                 182                707
Flounder (cooked, 5 oz.)            145                622
Yogurt (plain, low-fat, 1 cup)      155                573
Hass Avocado (1/2 medium)           153                548
Salmon Filet (cooked, 5oz.)         292                544
Tomato Juice (1 cup)                 41                535
Salmon (canned w/bones, 5 oz.)      217                534
Cantaloupe (1 cup, cubes)            56                494
Orange Juice (1 cup)                112                473
Banana (1 medium)                   109                467

Source: Recipes for a Healthy Heart (Rebud), Johns Hopkins Cookbook

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