What can you do to lower your risk of developing heart disease? Read food labels to determine how much salt is in one serving size of a product. A diet that contains more than one teaspoon of salt a day (2400 mg.) is associated with high blood pressure. This affects one in four American adults, which leads to heart disease, kidney disease, and strokes. One out of four Americans will die from heart disease each year. Cutting salt intake may be especially important if an individual is overweight, has diabetes, kidney disease, or family history of heart disease. The American Heart Association states if Americans will cut their salt to less than 1500 mg. sodium each day, heart disease can be reduced by 26%.
Many products are sold in Low-Sodium or Lower Sodium packaging. Compare labels to learn just how much less salt is in each of these products. There may still be too much salt, in lower salt packaging. An alternative is to purchase fresh, natural foods to avoid sodium. Look for no-salt seasonings in our spice department. Many of these are super delicious and can add flavor back to foods which have not been salted. Use herbs, spices, garlic, onion, bell pepper, banana peppers, and cayenne to add even better flavor to your foods.