If you find it hard to keep your sodium intake as low as the government recommends, you’re not alone: Almost no one is achieving these limits, according to a CDC report.
Everyone over 50, all blacks, and people with hypertension, diabetes, or kidney disease--that's most adults--should consume less than 1,500 milligrams of sodium (the amount in about two-thirds of a teaspoon of salt) a day to reduce the risk of high blood pressure. But only 1 percent of them have cut down on sodium that much.
Other adults should consume less than 2,300 milligrams, but only 5 percent are doing so.
Not only that, but according to a study from the University of Washington in Seattle, it’s nearly impossible to follow a balanced eating pattern that meets official nutrient recommendations yet stays within the 1,500-milligram sodium limit. The only way to achieve both these goals, the researchers found, is to restrict, if not eliminate, meat, poultry, fish, and grains and eat a diet primarily consisting of fruits, nuts, and seeds (in effect, become a “fructivore”). That’s because meats, grains, and even many vegetables have enough sodium naturally to make them hard to include in a very-low-sodium diet that meets all your other nutrient needs. The researchers call the government’s sodium recommendations “aspirational, ” not necessarily achievable.
What to do
A more practical suggestion than following a fructivore diet is to cut back on foods that contribute the most sodium to your diet. Another report from the CDC identified the top 10 sodium sources in the American diet. Bread and rolls are the biggest culprits, not because each serving is so high in sodium, but because we eat these foods so frequently. Next are cold cuts and cured meats, followed by pizza, poultry, soups, sandwiches (including burgers), cheese, pasta dishes, meat dishes, and salty snacks. At the very least, look for reduced or low-sodium versions of these foods, or eat them less frequently and in smaller portions.
A 25 percent reduction in sodium from just these 10 food categories could reduce total average sodium consumption in the U.S. by about 10 percent and prevent up to 28,000 premature deaths a year, the report concluded.
You might also think twice about eating out a lot. According to the study, 25 percent of the sodium we consume comes from restaurant (including fast-food) meals. Where does the rest of the sodium in our diets come from? About half comes from processed foods, about 10 percent from salting at the table and in cooking, and about 10 percent is found naturally in food.
Bottom line: Even if you can’t meet the recommended limits, don’t stop trying to reduce your sodium intake. It’s especially challenging if you are an active or larger person who needs more calories, since you eat more food and yet are supposed to aim for the same sodium limit. A better goal may be to simply get down as low as possible, since any reduction is beneficial. In general, cooking at home using more whole foods and fewer highly processed packaged products is the best way to go.
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