Surprisingly Daily salt intake: Over 1 teaspoon is too much!

How much does one teaspoon of salt hold? More and more Americans will likely find out the hard way, now that federal officials want people to reduce their daily sodium intake to less than 2,300 milligrams, or about 1 teaspoon of salt.

The call comes in the new "Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010." The guidelines, published in late January by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Department of Health and Human Services, echo the government's 2005 recommendations on how much sodium should be consumed daily.

The guidelines call for daily sodium intake of less than 2,300 milligrams, but they recommend a 1,500-milligram limit for people 51 and older; African-Americans; and people with hypertension, diabetes or chronic kidney disease. That's about half of the U.S. population.

Countdown to lower your sodium intake

10. Cook fresh. There can be extra salt in frozen, canned and processed foods.

The American Heart Association pegs 1,500 milligrams of sodium at just over half a teaspoon of salt. The association also recommends everyone limit sodium to no more than 1,500 milligrams daily.

9. Read "Nutrition Facts" label on prepared foods such as soup, breads and frozen meals. Compare sodium levels; choose the one with the lowest numbers. Look for "low salt" or "low sodium" labels.

Most Americans consume 3,000 to 3,600 milligrams daily, the association reports, noting that a person needs only about 200 milligrams a day.

Consuming too much sodium can raise blood pressure, increasing the risk of heart attacks, heart disease and strokes.

8. Scan labels for the word "soda" (sodium bicarbonate or baking soda) or the symbol "Na" to see if the product contains sodium.

Sodium is primarily consumed as salt, but the shaker on the table is not the prime culprit.

"Salt added at the table and in cooking provides only a small proportion of the total sodium Americans consume," the U.S. guidelines state. "Most sodium comes from salt added during food processing. Many types of processed foods contribute to the high intake of sodium."

7. Drain and rinse canned foods, if possible, to remove some of the salt.

6. Use as little salt in cooking as possible, especially when using salty ingredients such as cheese, olives, anchovies, mustard and soy sauce.

The feds estimate fewer than 15 percent of Americans consume less than the 2,300 milligram recommendation of sodium. "An immediate, deliberate reduction in the sodium content of foods in the marketplace is necessary," the report says

5. Fill the salt flavor "gap" when cooking by using black pepper or hot sauce, fresh or dried herbs, fresh lemon or lime juice, garlic, onions or ginger root.

4. Hide the salt shaker when eating.

3. Pay attention to serving sizes and the amount of sodium per serving, especially with prepared foods. Eating more means consuming more sodium

2. Ask for your meal to be prepared without salt when dining out.

1. Check the drugs you take; some have high amounts of sodium. Carefully read the labels on all over-the-counter drugs. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you have any doubts.

Sources: Ellie Krieger, "A Pinch of Salt," Fine Cooking, February/March 2011; U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, "Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010"; American Heart Association.

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