Identifying Sources of Salt

 Most of the sodium in our diet comes from the processing of food. If you are concerned about your sodium consumption, get in the habit of reading food labels and check for the sodium content.

Sodium is found in:

·         Salt

·         Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)

·         Baking Soda

·         Baking Powder

·         Disodium phosphate

·         Garlic Salt, Seasoned Salt, etc. (any compound that has “salt or sodium” in its name).

Sodium Claims on Food Labels

When trying to decide how much sodium you need, you can use the following guidelines.

Label Term	Definition
Sodium Free	Less than 5 mg. sodium per serving
Salt Free	Meets the requirements for sodium free
Very Low Sodium	35 mg. sodium or less per serving
Low Sodium	140 mg. sodium or less per serving
Reduced Sodium	At least 25% less sodium when compared with a reference food
Light in Sodium	50% less sodium per serving; restricted to foods with more than 40 calories per serving or more than 3 g of fat per serving (if pertaining to sodium content)
Unsalted, without added salt, no salt added	1.     No salt added during processing 2.     The product it resembles and substitutes for is normally processed with salt. 3.     The label bears the statement “not a sodium-free food” or “not for control of sodium in the diet” if the food is not sodium free.

A Healthier Diet

The more balanced overview is that salt is one component of a diet that affects blood pressure. Despite differences, researchers agree on one thing: the need for Americans to adopt a healthier diet.

The positive message, in terms of both blood pressure and overall [heart] health, is people should pay attention to their overall diet; avoid obesity, avoid eating too much salt, and make sure they eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.