The American Heart Association warned adults about the “salty six” today, 6 common foods in the American diet that contain excessive levels of salt.
“Excess sodium in our diets has less to do with what we’re adding to our food and more to do with what’s already in the food,” said Dr. Linda Van Horn, a volunteer for the American Heart Association. “The average individual is getting more than double the amount of sodium they need, but there are ways to improve their sodium intake under their control.”
A recent study conducted by the AHA found that Americans, on average, were consuming about 3,400 milligrams of sodium everyday compared to the recommended 1,500 milligrams the AHA recommends and most of it is coming from processed and restaurant foods. Too much sodium in one’s diet can lead to high blood pressure, stroke and heart disease. Here are the “salty six” from the AHA
Bread
Just one serving of bread can contain 15% of the daily recommended amount of salt even though it doesn’t taste salty.
Cold Cuts
Deli cold cuts such as turkey can contain up to 1,050 milligrams of sodium per serving. Salt is added to keep the meat from spoiling.
Pizza
Not only is Pizza a big source of fat and calories, just one slice will give you half your daily allowance of sodium.
Chicken
When it comes to poultry, this staple can contain widely varying degrees of sodium depending on preparation and processing. Skinless, grilled chicken is generally not too bad but just 3 ounces of breaded chicken can contain up to 600 milligrams of sodium.
Soup
With the arrival of the cold weather, people are eating a lot more soup but they are also consuming a lot more sodium. Just one cup of canned chicken soup can contain as much as 940 milligrams of sodium.
Sandwiches
Bread and cold cuts are already on the list but all kinds of sandwiches can be high in sodium. According to the AHA adding condiments to a meat sandwich can easily push its sodium level past the 1,500 milligram mark.
