Time To Limit Salt in Processed Foods?

How big can big gov. get, folks? Step right up and see a government so big it regulates salt in your pepperoni....I'm so stunned I can't laugh yet.
How come we eat so much salt? Because we eat too much, period. When we are really hungry food tastes good without all the extra seasoning. Remember personal responsibility? Why not read labels, eat less and decide for ourselves what will be available by voting with greenbacks? Or is that too simple?

The salt scare is an example of junk science. People with high blood pressure should limit salt based on their doctor's advice. People with normal blood pressure don't need to limit salt.

Stossel did a good piece on this. Here's an article:

http://www.townhall.com/columnists/JohnStossel/2005/08/31/half-baked_science

Quote from article:
"... Dr. Michael Alderman, who headed the American Society of Hypertension, America's biggest organization of specialists in high blood pressure. He says some people should cut back on salt, but for most people, it's pointless. Some studies have found that those who ate the least salt were four times more likely to have heart attacks."

You've been warned for years to cut down on salt. It turns out, there was no basis for those warnings.

Isn't cutting back on salt kind of like the water "controversy"? Whether or not you NEED to drink X amount of water, isn't it better to drink water than soda or calorie-laden juice?

Cutting sodium out of processed foods won't HURT anybody, and it may help prevent hypertension. I don't see a problem with it.

I'm on the fence about this. On one hand, I'm all for regulating sodium content simply because it would make shopping so much easier if I had more than 3 options available to me if I don't want to get 50% of my daily sodium intake from one can of soup. On the other hand, I agree with Rhoda, take some personal responsibility. If consumers demand lower sodium products, food packagers will deliver. Or heck, I could even make the soup myself.

There's plenty of other reasons to avoid processed foods, whose labels read more like a science project than a meal.

But I think hypertension, in general, is much more attributable to stress, rather than electrolyte imbalances. Or even more attributable to cigarettes and alcohol.

Nevertheless, a person with hypertension should seek to balance their electrolytes, as this may have a positive impact on the disease.

For people without hypertension, there should be no great concern.

I hardly ever eat processed food, and I do buy low-sodium versions of everything (turns out even a can of green beans has salt added, who knew?), and I don't use salt in my cooking, and I do believe that it can and will benefit my long term health to do these things - but I don't know that it's the government's place to REGULATE these things.

However, adding warnings and information? Sure. I don't think most people realize how much sodium they're consuming, especially with processed food. We really just need to start raising children to be food label freaks so they can see what they're eating. Although I wonder how many people are actually checking the labels for salt? I look at calories, fat, and carbs before I look at sodium.

rhoda said:
Remember personal responsibility? Why not read labels, eat less and decide for ourselves what will be available by voting with greenbacks? Or is that too simple?

Because most people won't do it, they make stupid choices and jack up the costs of necessary health care for you and me.

And let's not forget about the personal responsibility of the people who make these products. Everyone should be held accountable, not just the consumer.

(Now that's an answer that a conservative and a liberal can both love.)

Oh, it's about time. I can't believe how much salt is in stuff. I always get water bloat after eating frozen entrees, canned soups (even the lighter in sodium ones). And I can TASTE the salt. Salt is to enhance, not to assault the taste buds, no?

I like salt. Salt tastes yummy on tomatoes, eggs, etc. But I do feel that with the widespread hypertension in the US, a bit of rational use of salt should be in the minds of manufacturers of processed foods. I mean, we can ADD salt. We can't extract it from foods. Poeple are free to salt way anything they want, but many families now rely on prepackaged and convenience foods, and those foods manufacturers should consider the benefits of reducing sodium in their products.

While I hesitate any time it's MANDATED by law, if that's the only way to move the food giants, so be it.

And I even hate that it has to be that way.

I think it's time people start learning to think and do for themselves instead of relying on this survey and that "study" (which is often funded by a biased group) for their information.

For example: my father-in-law was told by his doctor that he should 'cut down' on salt. He and my mother-in-law interpreted this as "no table salt", so they don't offer salt in a shaker on the table at meals, they don't add salt to food when cooking, etc. But then, in a single meal, the main dish will be a pre-marinated pork loin or corned-beef (both of which are like eating a salt-lick), those noodles-in-a-bag which are FULL of salt, and pre-packaged/seasoned vegetables, not to mention unroll-and-bake rolls, and a salad that they serve floating in a dressing-bath.

Then they look at me funny when I eat my salad without dressing, I eat very little of the meat, none of the noodles, and request a little salt for the oven-baked fries (because, I'm sorry, fries must.have.salt). They get all over me for my "weird" eating habits, and assault (har har) me for putting that "evil" salt on my fries, when, in actuality, that type of meat, and meal in general, has caused me to be dehydrated in the past.

The problem here is not the lack of government regulation, but the lack of common sense and actual knowledge that the general public has. We have been brought up from day one to blindly believe that the government wants only the best for us, when, in actuality, the government only wants more power and control.

I forgot to add.... I would have no problem at all if the food companies *on their own* decided to reduce the amount of salt in foods. I think it's a great idea. But yet another government mandate... people, our congress needs to be worrying about other things, not how much salt we eat. That's our job!

rhoda said:
How big can big gov. get, folks? Step right up and see a government so big it regulates salt in your pepperoni....I'm so stunned I can't laugh yet. How come we eat so much salt? Because we eat too much, period. When we are really hungry food tastes good without all the extra seasoning. Remember personal responsibility? Why not read labels, eat [...]

Excellent post. I think some people who write on these blogs should always read your two opening sentences.

I think this is a little wool-over-the-eyes. Yes, there is far too much "salt" in our food - but I think the issue should be more about the monosodium glutamate in these foods - it's not only the amount of sodium but where the sodium is coming from. It would be okay if it WAS just salt they are adding - but they are not. The sodium content IS listed - but where the sodium is coming from is hidden as food manufacturers can hide monosodium glutamate under different names. THAT is what should be banned - not "salt"! Okay, lower the sodium - then raise the monosodium glutamate, or should I say, hydrolyzed soy protein, autolyzed yeast, spices...

Kailash said:
Because most people won't do it, they make stupid choices and jack up the costs of necessary health care for you and me.

And let's not forget about the personal responsibility of the people who make these products. Everyone should be held accountable, not just the consumer.

(Now that's an answer that a conservative and a liberal can both love.)

No it isn't. It's not even remotely close to anything like what a conservative or libertarian would love.

You think you've assigned blame fairly, but you haven't. You've excused the consumer from ANY personal responsibility simply because you think "they won't." Oh, I guess that's OK then! They won't, so we just turn around and find someone else to blame. Or "hold accountable." Let me guess: financially accountable, right?

So what if consumers "won't?" THEY SHOULD. And until we expect them to, they will continue to not give a rat;s hairy backside, as you will give them the perfect excuse: "It's not my fault, it's the big bad food companies!"

Companies did not start selling this stuff because they thought it would be awesome to get the country addicted to salt. They sell it because PEOPLE DEMAND IT. They flock to garbage food and garbage fast food in droves, and they love it. You want it to change? Change their minds, not their laws.

I guess that's too hard. Easier to get the government to make a new law than it is to get people to change their minds.

On top of all of that, there is too much government interference in our lives already, and now we're just begging for more. It's sickening.

As a consumer, I know I'd really appreciate more low-sodium options, and I get frustrated in general with how long it takes the public to demand healthier products. And I imagine we spend a lot of medical dollars on heart attacks and strokes, some of which might be attributable to our sky-high sodium intake.

However I'm not sure what the right answer is myself in terms of the FDA adopting warnings or ceilings or whatever. Since the agency is charged with regulating food safety to try to protect our health, I don't think taking some kind of action would be totally unreasonable, but how much would be overreaching? I'm not sure.

But I think reasonable minds may differ on this issue, and I'm really appreciating hearing all the different points of view!

Our food is so processed (and nutritionally bankrupt), I am not sure you can make a limit on salt. Salt is what gives processed foods more taste. The key may be to educate people on relying less on processed foods and get closer to what food really is. If we limit salt, should we limit fat and have minimum fiber content? What about regulating preservatives? It seems to be a slippery slope here.
In a perfect world, processed food would be WICKED expensive and fruits and veggies cheap. Now that would be utopia!

OK, here's my solution to your question, "Do you think the FDA should crack down on the amount of sodium in processed food?".....get off of processed and fast food, take control of your own health and don't wait for the gov. to make any changes. Does this sound strict or too hard to do? It might to some people, but I've gotta tell you that until you do it, you just cannot imagine how much better you will feel.

If I eat processed food now my body actually hurts. All of that sodium makes me itch and ache, the sugar causes cravings for more and more food, and I feel just terrible...hard to stay focused and very low energy.

It truly is possible to eat a diet filled with healthy, whole foods. It does mean that you need to do some cooking, but what works for me is to cook in bulk on the weekend so that I'll have meals waiting in the frig (or even freezer) for the coming week. Once you get off of the added salt, refined sugar, unhealthy fats, white flour, even dairy, you get to know what it feels like to truly be alive and functioning instead of dragging around in a haze... at least that's been my experience. :)

I have low blood sodium and low blood pressure. I eat salt to get stop migraines (it works, because two things typically cause my migraines: low blood sodium after an intense workout, or low blood sugar)

I recognize salt as generally safe in my diet-- though, I avoid processed food typically.

If the FDA takes salt off the GRAS list (generally regarded as safe), the repercussions would be horrific. Salt is so ubiquitous (even in nature), that almost every food would have to be regulated and possibly banned. I agree that food manufacturers should at least try to cut back on salt in their foods, but it has been proven that unless you have a serious hypertension problem or another problem that requires you to restrict your sodium, too much sodium in one's diet isn't usually a problem. Just drink more water and it should flush it out pretty quickly.

The best way to control the amount of sodium in your diet is to read your labels and avoid the foods that are too high in sodium. Everyone's threshold for sodium is different...I personally have NEVER had a problem with it and I probably actually need more sodium in my diet than the typical person due to the amount of exercise I do.

It's going to be interesting to see how various food companies deal with the new guidelines to reduce sodium...I'm thinking a lot of them will replace the sodium with potassium and possibly add different herbs and spices to the formulations to increase flavor without increasing salt.

I still think the government should stay out of my diet though :)

JimK said:
On top of all of that, there is too much government interference in our lives already, and now we're just begging for more.

The government regfulates industry? Since when??

Seems to me these politicians are more on the co-conspiratorial side of things... WELL, I do have eyes to see!

Hmm (btw), I thought conservatives might like that I'm mad about health care costs, jacked up by unhealthy morons.

Look here, people are SHITSTUPID. And sometimes you have to be conservative enough to be liberal. And so you stop the companies selling them poison, because it's screwing your own bottom line (health insurance premiums).

I think that would be just plain smart. Or, as you say, Realpolitik?

Well, unless you invested in the poison companies. Devestment might just be plain old realpolitik now too. Get to it, Tucker Carlson-boy!

(P.S. Evil people can be noted by their lack of lips.)

Julia said:
I think this is a little wool-over-the-eyes. Yes, there is far too much "salt" in our food - but I think the issue should be more about the monosodium glutamate in these foods

Good post. It's really MSG that should be removed from the "Generally Recognized As Safe" list. Not salt.

The poison mongers, the processed food industry, are making every effort to not only get us hooked on the dietary necessity that is salt, but on the neurotransmitter-like chemical that is MSG.

Joe Schmoe is an idiot. Sure he's to blame for eating Banquet foods salt-crusted MSG nuggets. But it wasn't a fair fight! Let's say Banquet employs 3,000 people. So it's 3,000 vs. 1 joe schmoe.

That's where government comes in! We band together in this thing called "civic society", and even the score against the profiteers. They're organized, so we get organized. After the negotiations, a compromise is reached, and we all go back to living out our meager processed foods existence, maybe a little healthier for our efforts.

Those of you who would do away with government interference don't seem to understand this. We are the government. Or in theory, we are supposed to be the government. That's our one shot at keeping evil forces, like poison profiteering, in check.

But when you disengage yourself from your government, from your civic responsibility, and think of government as something other than yourself, then you lose! Because the people who end up going to the table with Banquet are their own paid representatives. Those (s)elected officials will no longer represent you and me, because we failed to get organized the way that Banquet has gotten organized.

The answer is not disengagement, but engagement. Only when we become the government, as it should be, will we be truly free.

I don't think the government should regulate salt. Label how much is in food, sure, but regulate it, no. It's a fallacy that everyone with high blood pressure has to regulate salt to get back to a normal level.

Not so fast, too little sodium can have serious consequences too. My wife's nephew passed out and hit his head on a table and we nearly lost him, his sodium level was TOO LOW! Too much or too little of anything...I guess. I agree that the amount of sodium should be listed on the label, but, the government needs to get out of the enforcement business.

The government shouldn't regulate salt, the labels are fine. However it would be pretty cool if they "industry" stopped pumping sodium into everything like gas in a tank. It's like the "food "industry" and the "big pharma pushers" have some type of deal.."we'll get'em with great tasting highly addictive, cheaply made garbage and you sell'em high priced pharmaceuticals to keep them barely alive and well both make a fortune...ha ha ha....

Coming from the side of the food industry, I'll tell you that food companies don't just put salt in foods to make them addictive or whatever. They aren't trying to poison people with salt. What they're doing is catering to OUR tastes as consumers. Before developing any product, R&D does lots of sensory screens with their product...they have a bunch of people of different ages come and try the product and tell them what to change in the recipe. If it's too bland, R&D will DEFINITELY hear about it. Salt is one of those ingredients that improves the taste of the food at a relatively "low risk" to the nutrition. That's why a lot of Healthy Choice entrees got a lot of crap...they're low in fat, low in cholesterol, but most of them were really high in sodium. They had to add flavor somehow, so they used salt because it's considered a pretty harmless thing. What R&D departments need to do is figure out ways of making foods taste really good without using too much sodium. Lots of companies are using potassium chloride to cut the salt with, others are using autolyzed yeast extract or something similar. So before you bash the food companies, remember that they're only making it because we demand it and they want our money, so they're making sure they make everything the way we want it.

What an informative exchange; sorry to be late in picking it up. As president of the Salt Institute, I thought I'd add a few notes in response to several of the earlier posts.

Claire Annette: There is no need to regulate salt in order for consumers to get information on how much is in packaged foods; it's been on the label since the mid-1980s.

Brittany: There's a world of difference between "information" and "warnings." Information is (appropriately) required. Warnings about salt should be based on scientific evidence that lowering dietary salt will confer a health benefit. Despite widespread agreement that salt is related to blood pressure and a substantial minority of the population can reduce BP with big reductions in salt, the body makes other adjustments when dietary salt is cut (e.g. insulin resistance increases, plasma renin activity increases, etc.) so that the net effect -- the "health benefit" -- is unclear. As J.M. Graham, the original author points out, this information is laid out on our website at http://www.saltinstitute.org/28.html (the list of studies is at http://www.saltinstitute.org/healthrisk.html).

It turns out that 12% of the population is trying to stay on a low-salt diet (many more are SUCCEEDING without even trying). The health consequences are unexamined. The Salt Institute has requested that a health outcomes trial be conducted. All the health outcomes studies to date have been observational studies, a lower order of scientific evidence.

Princess Dieter and Lauren: Please don't think regulation is required to get the food industry to respond. Most of the larger companies have not only produced a lot of low-sodium products, but have made very significant cuts in the sodium levels of their "regular" recipes. Check your grocery store. Please also keep in mind that food processors put salt in their products for many reasons starting with food safety and including taste, texture and color. Often the salt is not in the food for the "salty" taste, but to mask the bitterness of the vegetable or chocolate, etc.

Let me make an additional, fresh, comment while I'm at it: the premise we've all been asked to consider is not only that blood pressure effects of salt are so important that we should ignore the risks inherent in the other factors, but that consumers who choose low-sodium foods or who refrain from adding salt are actually on low-sodium diets. Makes sense that they would be, but there's no evidence; it's never been studied yet is the heart of the entire strategy. As we know about salt in animal nutrition (see http://www.saltinstitute.org/25.html), all species have a set point in the amount of sodium they consume. The US population has been consuming the same amount of salt for a century; perhaps the same mechanism is at play. So, when someone opts for the "Healthy Choice" prepared meal, perhaps later that night they have a craving for another 120 mg of sodium in a glass of milk. Perhaps we should do that research as well.

Dick Hanneman
President
Salt Institute

Fast food is very dangerous because it can hurt you.
George burke

I think the answer to more education to the general public to allow people to make their own choices. The less government regulation in things such as this the better.

Let consumers speak with their dollars and vote by purchasing the products that are healthy.

At some point we need to take responsibilty for our own actions. When it comes to health and nutrition I personally think you shouldn't depend on someone else to hand feed you unless you are a child. Get educated on the risks of bad fats, too much salt, too much sugar, and processed foods. Before we had processed foods, refined sugars, and preservatives, we ate whole foods and lean proteins. It's about getting back to basics, when you eat out of a box everyday what do you expect. Things like high sodium might be the least of your worries if that's the case.