Healthy Living: Local News
Watch Your Salt Intake!
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Story Updated: Mar 14, 2012
(WKBW/Cleveland Clinic) The Centers for Disease Control says nearly 90 percent of us consume too much salt.
Dietitians at Cleveland Clinic say a diet high in sodium puts you at an increased risk for several diseases.
Julia Zumpano, registered dietitian at the Cleveland Clinic, says, "Sodium affects your blood pressure, so a high amount of sodium can lead to hypertension, a huge risk factor for multiple diseases, including heart disease and stroke."
The government's dietary guidelines recommend lowering your daily sodium intake to less than 2300 milligrams.
If you're 51 or older, it's recommended you keep your sodium intake to less than 1500 milligrams.
Dietitians say it's not just the salt you add to food that increases your intake.
They say lots of foods already contain high amounts of sodium.
Zumpano says, "Breads and rolls, starchy snacks, "snacky" type foods like pretzels, crackers, even things like granola bars, cereals have sodium, which a lot of people don't think about. "
Dietitians also say pizza and cold cuts are big sodium sources, and the 15-hundred milligram recommendation also applies to children.