Over the summer I met up with a friend to enjoy a plate of chips and salsa. While chatting, she proceeded to get a little crazy with the salt shaker. I looked at her like she was nuts, “Care to have some chips with your salt?”

While I rarely ADD additional salt to my food, most of what we buy is already loaded with it. This is why the Institute of Medicine has recommended that the FDA take measures to cut back the levels of salt that manufacturers add to foods.

While no official plan is in tact, the FDA says it plans to slowly but surely reduce the amount of sodium in foods by using a stepwise and monitored process as to not drastically change the flavoring of the food.

The recommended maximum daily intake of sodium for the average adult is about a tablespoon, or 2,300 milligrams. Americans consume about 3,400 milligrams per day. This over-consumption is a leading contributor to hypertension and heart disease.

What do you think about reducing sodium in packaged foods and restaurants? How do you monitor your salt intake?

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