Salted Away

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Salted Away By Sally SquiresWhile weight-conscious consumers often obsess about fat andcarbohydrates, a lawsuit newly filed by the Center for Science in thePublic Interest (CSPI) puts another popular ingredient in the spotlight:

salt.CSPI is suing the Food and Drug Administration to put more muscle intosalt regulation. The lawsuit would change the status of salt fromgenerally recognized as safe (GRAS) to an official food ingredient that

would subject it to much stiffer regulation by the FDA. In issuing areport last week on the health dangers of salt, the consumer advocacygroup noted that salt consumption has slowly risen over the past 30years and, by its estimate, accounts for nearly 150,000 premature deaths

annually in the United States. Most of those deaths are linked tocomplications of high blood pressure, or hypertension. " Americans spend more than $15 billion each year on drugs to treat

hypertension, yet the government spends almost nothing to reduce saltconsumption, " said CSPI executive director Michael F. Jacobson, authorof the report.The latest national nutritional surveys suggest that Americans consume

about a third more than the 2,300 milligrams per day limit advised bythe federal government's 2005 Dietary Guidelines for adults up to age45. (Those older than 45, as well as African Americans and people who

have already been diagnosed with elevated blood pressure, are advised toconsume no more than 1,500 milligrams of sodium daily. That's the amountfound in about a cup and a half of many canned soups.)And, no, removing the salt shaker from the dining table likely won't be

enough. An expert committee that helped develop the revised guidelinesreported in August that as much as 80 percent of sodium intake comesfrom processed and restaurant foods.Even so, the food industry points to major improvements and the growing

number of reduced-sodium and no-salt-added products. " Over the past 40years, there has been a dramatic reduction in the use of sodium inprocessed foods, " said Robert Earl, senior director of nutrition policy

at the National Food Processors Association, an industry group. " Variousnew techniques in canning and freezing have reduced the amount of sodiumneeded " to extend shelf life of foods.But those reduced-sodium products must appeal to consumers, which " is

not a simple task, " as Earl notes. " There's a tradeoff here, " concedes James O. Hill, director of theClinical Nutrition Research Unit at the University of Colorado HealthSciences Center in Denver, noting that salt is important for taste. " I

know where CSPI is coming from. . . . But salt is used for a reason, andit plays a role in allowing consumers to like products. So I'm a big fanof getting the food industry to gradually reduce sodium over time so

that the consumer doesn't notice it. " In the meantime, here's what you can do to reduce your sodium intake:Don't bother doing the milligram math. The answers are already in plainsight on nutrition food labels. Pay attention to percent daily value of

sodium. " The rule of thumb is to choose foods that have less than 5percent of the daily value for sodium " per serving, said Eva Obarzanek,a research nutritionist at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

(NHLBI) .Eat more fruit and vegetables . Studies suggest that thesepotassium-rich foods can help counter the effects of high sodium intake.DASH . No, not the 40-yard kind, but the Dietary Approaches to Stop

Hypertension, an eating plan that has been proven to lower bloodpressure as much as some medications. DASH is low in total fat,saturated fat and cholesterol, and rich in fruit, vegetables and low-fatdairy products. Get a free copy at

www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/hbp/dash/ or from the NHLBI HealthInformation Center, P.O. Box 30105, Bethesda, MD 20824-0105, or bycalling 301-592-8573.Cut back on sodium gradually. Since the taste for salt develops overtime, " it's not a good idea to go cold turkey, " said Alice Lichtenstein,

professor of nutrition at Tufts University and chairwoman of theAmerican Heart Association's Nutrition Committee. " Introduce a fewlower-sodium products, substitute herbs for salt and just beginratcheting down. That's what really works. "

Choose reduced-sodium or no-salt-added foods. Harvard University's MeirStampfer, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology, snacks on unsaltedpeanuts and skips sodium-loaded pretzels and chips. Lichtenstein uses

low-sodium chicken broth to whip up homemade soups in minutes for herfamily. Or just swap " natural " peanut butter with no added salt formore-processed brands, which have 6 percent of the daily value per two

tablespoons.Beware of hidden sodium. Besides restaurant fare and canned food,leading sources of sodium include many of the items that the newguidelines suggest should be consumed in greater quantities: whole-grain

bread, crackers and ready-to-eat cereals, and dairy foods, especiallycheese.Other high sodium sources: frozen food with sauces; macaroni and cheesewith flavor or seasoning packets; salad dressings; condiments, snack

foods, luncheon meats, hot dogs and processed tomato products, fromjuice and ketchup to salsa and sauce. Smart low-sodium choices include:oatmeal, plain shredded wheat, whole-wheat matzoh, brown rice as well as

nonfat milk and yogurt. Use vinegar and oil instead of prepared saladdressings. Rinse canned beans and other vegetables to reduce sodium.Choose herbs and spices for flavoring instead of . . . well, you know.

-- Diana Gonzalez Nothing wastes more energy than worrying - the longer a problem is carried, the heavier it gets. Don't take things too seriously - live a life of serenity, not a life of regrets.

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