Most Americans Should Consume Less Sodium (1,500 mg/Day or Less)

Photo: A woman eating a healthy salad. Most of the sodium we consume is in the form of salt. Too much sodium is bad for your health. It can increase your blood pressure and your risk for a heart attack or stroke. Heart disease and stroke are the first and third killers of men and women in the United States each year.

Current dietary guidelines recommend that adults in general should consume no more than 2,300 mg of sodium per day. However, if you are in the following population groups, you should consume no more than 1,500 mg per day.

You are 40 years of age or older.
You are African American.
You have high blood pressure.

A new CDC report shows that two out of three (69%) adults in the United States fall into these three groups who are at especially high risk for health problems from too much sodium. Eating less sodium can help prevent, lower, or even control blood pressure.

Most of the sodium we eat comes from packaged, processed, store-bought and restaurants foods. Only about 5% comes from salt added during cooking and about 6% comes from being added at the table. You can find out how much sodium you are eating by checking the labels on food products and adding up the milligrams of sodium. If at a restaurant, ask for the nutritional information facts that include sodium.

Chart: Most sodium comes from processed and restaurant foods. The pie chart shows Processed and Restaurant Foods portion at 77%; Naturally Occurring, 12%; While eating, 6%; and Home Cooking, 5%. Source for image: Mattes, RD, Donnelly, D. Relative contributions of dietary sodium sources. Journal of the American College of Nutrition. 1991 Aug;10(4):383-393.

Source: Mattes, RD, Donnelly, D. Relative contributions of dietary sodium sources. Journal of the American College of Nutrition. 1991 Aug;10(4):383-393.

Choose a Heart-Healthy Diet

The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension or DASH eating plan is a simple heart healthy diet that can help prevent or lower high blood pressure.

This diet is LOW in sodium, cholesterol, saturated and total fat and HIGH in fruits and vegetables, potassium, fiber, and low-fat dairy products.

Making other lifestyle changes, like getting more physical activity, while on the DASH eating plan gives you the biggest benefits. See Your Guide to Lowering Your Blood Pressure with DASH to learn more about the DASH Eating Plan.

What You Can Do

Know your recommended limits for daily sodium intake.
Choose foods like fresh fruits and vegetables.
Read the nutrition label of the foods you purchase.
Ask for foods with no or low salt at restaurants.

Encourage Others

With two out of three adults at risk for health problems from too much sodium, you probably know someone who needs encouragement to change his or her diet. Send an eCard about lowering salt intake.