VOLUME 9, NUMBER 7 Health Bulletin NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND M ENTAL HYGIENE

#82 in a series of Health Bulletins on issues of pressing interest to all New Yorkers Cut the Salt!

Many foods pack a lot more salt than you think.

TOO MUCH SALT CAN RAISE BLOOD PRESSURE AND LEAD TO HEART ATTACK AND STROKE

• Available in Spanish and Chinese: call 311 or visit nyc.gov/health • Disponible en español: llame al 311 o visite nyc.gov/health • nyc.gov/health Health

nyc.gov/health Cut the Salt! Volume 9 – Number 7 First Printing: February/March 2006 – Revised/Reprinted: 10/09, 10/10 Too much salt is harmful. Check food labels before you buy. Shopping for food On average, people eat much more salt than they should. Read the Nutrition Facts label to choose • Fresh foods usually have less salt than canned or • It’s the sodium in salt that makes products with less sodium. processed foods. blood pressure go up. • This can of chicken & rice soup • Canned items such as beans • Cutting down on salt helps Chicken & Rice Soup has 870 mg of sodium per and soup broth can be very prevent and control high serving. That is a lot! Most people high in salt. Compare labels blood pressure. should eat no more than 1,500 and look for “low-sodium” or • Most people should eat no more mg of sodium per day. “no-salt-added” versions. than 1,500 mg of sodium per • Be sure to check the serving • Check the label when you day. This is most important for size and the number of servings buy raw meat; even it often people with high blood pressure, per container. has added salt. black people, and middle-aged and older people. • This can contains two servings, • Processed foods marketed so if you eat the whole can, you’ll as “healthy” or “low-fat” may • Even people with normal blood get TWICE as much sodium – have a lot of sodium. Always pressure benefit from lower more than you should eat in check the label. blood pressure. Lower blood a day! pressure decreases the risk of • Salad dressings and heart attack and stroke. condiments, such as ketchup and soy sauce, are often high in sodium.

Most restaurant meals and processed Compare the amount of sodium in At home foods are full of salt. different brands. • Cut down on salt gradually, over a few weeks or even months. You’ll be Your salt shaker is not the Salty foods don’t always TASTE salty, less likely to notice a difference. main problem! so always check the label. • Snack on fresh fruits and vegetables instead of salty chips and popcorn. • Most of the salt we eat – almost 80% – • Try ½ teaspoon of salt when recipes call for 1 teaspoon. comes from packaged, processed and • Be aware that some seasonings like adobo, garlic salt and lemon store-bought food, and from restaurant pepper contain salt. meals (including fast food). • Create your own salt-free seasonings using oregano, basil, celery seed, • Only about 10% of the sodium in our curry powder, cayenne pepper or other herbs and spices to add flavor. diet comes from salt we add during cooking or at the table. • Many salt substitutes contain potassium. If you are taking medications regularly or have kidney disease, talk to your doctor before using • The rest is found naturally in food. a salt substitute.

Eating out • Ask for your meal to be prepared without added salt. You can always salt to taste. • Some restaurants – especially chain restaurants – provide nutritional information. Ask for a copy. holesterol 1 holesterol 1 Sodium 870mg Choose the lowest! Sodium 480mg l Carb l Carb Cut the Salt! Volume 8 – Number 5 First Printing: February/March 2006 – Revised/Reprinted: 10/09, 10/10 Too much salt is harmful. Check food labels before you buy. Shopping for food On average, people eat much more salt than they should. Read the Nutrition Facts label to choose • Fresh foods usually have less salt than canned or • It’s the sodium in salt that makes products with less sodium. processed foods. blood pressure go up. • This can of chicken & rice soup • Canned items such as beans • Cutting down on salt helps Chicken & Rice Soup has 870 mg of sodium per and soup broth can be very prevent and control high serving. That is a lot! Most people high in salt. Compare labels blood pressure. should eat no more than 1,500 and look for “low-sodium” or • Most people should eat no more mg of sodium per day. “no-salt-added” versions. than 1,500 mg of sodium per • Be sure to check the serving • Check the label when you day. This is most important for size and the number of servings buy raw meat; even it often people with high blood pressure, per container. has added salt. black people, and middle-aged and older people. • This can contains two servings, • Processed foods marketed so if you eat the whole can, you’ll as “healthy” or “low-fat” may • Even people with normal blood get TWICE as much sodium – have a lot of sodium. Always pressure benefit from lower more than you should eat in check the label. blood pressure. Lower blood a day! pressure decreases the risk of • Salad dressings and heart attack and stroke. condiments, such as ketchup and soy sauce, are often high in sodium.

Most restaurant meals and processed Compare the amount of sodium in At home foods are full of salt. different brands. • Cut down on salt gradually, over a few weeks or even months. You’ll be Your salt shaker is not the Salty foods don’t always TASTE salty, less likely to notice a difference. main problem! so always check the label. • Snack on fresh fruits and vegetables instead of salty chips and popcorn. • Most of the salt we eat – almost 80% – • Try ½ teaspoon of salt when recipes call for 1 teaspoon. comes from packaged, processed and • Be aware that some seasonings like adobo, garlic salt and lemon store-bought food, and from restaurant pepper contain salt. meals (including fast food). • Create your own salt-free seasonings using oregano, basil, celery seed, • Only about 10% of the sodium in our curry powder, cayenne pepper or other herbs and spices to add flavor. diet comes from salt we add during cooking or at the table. • Many salt substitutes contain potassium. If you are taking medications regularly or have kidney disease, talk to your doctor before using • The rest is found naturally in food. a salt substitute.

Eating out • Ask for your meal to be prepared without added salt. You can always salt to taste. • Some restaurants – especially chain restaurants – provide nutritional information. Ask for a copy. holesterol 1 holesterol 1 Sodium 870mg Choose the lowest! Sodium 480mg l Carb l Carb Cut the Salt! Volume 8 – Number 5 First Printing: February/March 2006 – Revised/Reprinted: 10/09, 10/10 Too much salt is harmful. Check food labels before you buy. Shopping for food On average, people eat much more salt than they should. Read the Nutrition Facts label to choose • Fresh foods usually have less salt than canned or • It’s the sodium in salt that makes products with less sodium. processed foods. blood pressure go up. • This can of chicken & rice soup • Canned items such as beans • Cutting down on salt helps Chicken & Rice Soup has 870 mg of sodium per and soup broth can be very prevent and control high serving. That is a lot! Most people high in salt. Compare labels blood pressure. should eat no more than 1,500 and look for “low-sodium” or • Most people should eat no more mg of sodium per day. “no-salt-added” versions. than 1,500 mg of sodium per • Be sure to check the serving • Check the label when you day. This is most important for size and the number of servings buy raw meat; even it often people with high blood pressure, per container. has added salt. black people, and middle-aged and older people. • This can contains two servings, • Processed foods marketed so if you eat the whole can, you’ll as “healthy” or “low-fat” may • Even people with normal blood get TWICE as much sodium – have a lot of sodium. Always pressure benefit from lower more than you should eat in check the label. blood pressure. Lower blood a day! pressure decreases the risk of • Salad dressings and heart attack and stroke. condiments, such as ketchup and soy sauce, are often high in sodium.

Most restaurant meals and processed Compare the amount of sodium in At home foods are full of salt. different brands. • Cut down on salt gradually, over a few weeks or even months. You’ll be Your salt shaker is not the Salty foods don’t always TASTE salty, less likely to notice a difference. main problem! so always check the label. • Snack on fresh fruits and vegetables instead of salty chips and popcorn. • Most of the salt we eat – almost 80% – • Try ½ teaspoon of salt when recipes call for 1 teaspoon. comes from packaged, processed and • Be aware that some seasonings like adobo, garlic salt and lemon store-bought food, and from restaurant pepper contain salt. meals (including fast food). • Create your own salt-free seasonings using oregano, basil, celery seed, • Only about 10% of the sodium in our curry powder, cayenne pepper or other herbs and spices to add flavor. diet comes from salt we add during cooking or at the table. • Many salt substitutes contain potassium. If you are taking medications regularly or have kidney disease, talk to your doctor before using • The rest is found naturally in food. a salt substitute.

Eating out • Ask for your meal to be prepared without added salt. You can always salt to taste. • Some restaurants – especially chain restaurants – provide nutritional information. Ask for a copy. holesterol 1 holesterol 1 Sodium 870mg Choose the lowest! Sodium 480mg l Carb l Carb *Based on a conveniencesample a on *Based Pretzels Potatochips Salsa dressing Salad Tomatojuice Frozenmeals Frozenpizza cheese breadSliced vegetablesCanned soup Canned The amount of sodium in processed foods varies a LOT by brand.byLOT a varies foods processed in sodium of amount The Same Foods – BIG Difference in Sodium in BIGDifference Foods– Same • • • • • • you can avoid 580 mg of sodium! of mg avoid580 can you wisely,pizza your choosing By Alwayslabels. read ConsumerInformation/ucm078889.htm http://www.fda.gov/food/LabelingNutrition/ U.S.Food and Drug Administration (how to read food labels): heart):(healthy Bulletins Health AmericanDietetic Association: AmericanHeart Association: www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/dietarysodium.html MedLinePlus (National Institutes of Health): New YorkDepartment: Health City • #76 Good Fats/Bad FatsGood #76 • Are #73 You• Pounds?the Pouringon • #51 How to LoseOff to WeightHow It Keep#51 and • It’sPressure– Blood In High Your#50 • Court MoreInformation and Help Visit AllHealth Bulletins are also available at Bulletin Health any of Forcopies nyc.gov/health/email www.heart.org www.eatright.org Serving Size Range of of Range Size Serving uc 50-610 10-380 ounce 1 ounce 1 90-250 tablespoons 2 80-620 140-680 tablespoons 2 330-1130 ounces 8 ounces 6-10 1slice slice 1 cup ½ cup 1 nyc.gov/heart or call 311: call nyc.gov/heartor nyc.gov/health or call 311 nyc.gov/health call or for a free e-mail subscription nyc.gov/health per Serving* per (mg) Sodium 510-1090 100-240 10-550 50-950

VOLUME 9, NUMBER 7 Health Bulletin PRST STD NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND MENTAL HYGIENE U.S. POSTAGE PAID #82 in a series of Health Bulletins on issues of pressing interest to all New Yorkers NEW YORK, N.Y. PERMIT NO. 6174 New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene 125 Worth Street, Room 1047, CN 33 New York, N.Y. 10013

Michael R. Bloomberg, Mayor Thomas Farley, M.D., M.P.H. Commissioner Bureau of Communications Geoffrey Cowley, Associate Commissioner Cortnie Lowe, M.F.A., Executive Editor Drew Blakeman, Senior Writer Leslie Laurence, Senior Writer Prepared in cooperation with: Division of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Bureau of Chronic Disease Prevention and Control Cardiovascular Disease Prevention and Control Program

HPD1X2524E – 10.10 – HPD1X2524E Cut the Salt!

For Non-Emergency NYC Services Telephone Interpretation in 170 Languages s r e k r o Y w e N l l a o t t s e r e t n i g n i s s e r p f o s e u s s i n o s n i t e l l u B h t l a e H f o s e i r e s a n i 2 8 # elhBulletin Health E N E I G Y H L A T N E M D N A H T L A E H F O T N E M T R A P E D Y T I C K R O Y W E N h t l a e h / v o g . c y n TOO MUCH SALT CAN RAISE BLOOD PRESSURE AND SALTPRESSURE MUCH BLOOD TOO RAISE CAN Many foods pack a lot more lot a pack foods Many Cut the Salt! the Cut • • • nyc.gov/health visite o 311 al llame español: en Disponible • Available in Spanish and Chinese: call 311 or visit nyc.gov/healthvisit Chinese:or and 311 AvailableSpanish call in LEAD TO HEARTATTACKTO LEAD STROKE AND salt than you think. you than salt nyc.gov/health 7 R E B M U N , 9 E M U L O V Health VOLUME 8, NUMBER 5 Same Foods – BIG Difference in Sodium Health Bulletin The amount of sodium in processed foods varies a LOT by brand. NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND MENTAL HYGIENE

Serving Size Range of #72 in a series of Health Bulletins on issues of pressing interest to all New Yorkers Sodium (mg) per Serving*

Canned soup 1 cup 50-950 VOLUME 9 , N U M B E R 7

Canned vegetables ½ cup 10-550 Health Bulletin N E W Y O RK CITY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND M ENTAL HYGIENE Cut the Salt! Sliced bread 1 slice 100-240 # 8 2 in a series of Health Bulletins on issues of pressing interest to all New Yorkers New York City Department of Frozen cheese pizza 1 slice 510-1090 Health and Mental Hygiene 125 Worth Street, Room 1047, CN 33 Frozen meals 6-10 ounces 330-1130 New York, N.Y. 10013

Tomato juice 8 ounces 140-680 Michael R. Bloomberg, Mayor Thomas Farley, M.D., M.P.H. Commissioner Salad dressing 2 tablespoons 80-620 Bureau of Communications Geoffrey Cowley, Associate Commissioner Salsa 2 tablespoons 90-250 Cortnie Lowe, M.F.A., Executive Editor Drew Blakeman, Senior Writer Leslie Laurence, Senior Writer Potato chips 1 ounce 10-380 Prepared in cooperation with: Pretzels 1 ounce 50-610 Division of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Bureau of Chronic Disease Prevention and Control *Based on a convenience sample Cardiovascular Disease Prevention and Control Program Made possible by funding from: Always read labels. By choosing your pizza wisely, The Department of Health and Human Services you can avoid 580 mg of sodium!

More Information and Help • New York City Health Department: nyc.gov/health or call 311 Many foods pack a lot more • Health Bulletins (healthy heart): nyc.gov/heart or call 311: • #50 High Blood Pressure – It’s In Your Court Cut the Salt! • #51 How to Lose Weight and Keep It Off • #55 Taking Your Medicine – How to Make It Easier salt than you think. • #76 Good Fats/Bad Fats For Non-Emergency NYC Serviices Telephone Interpretation in 170 Languages • U.S. Food and Drug Administration (how to read food labels): Telephone Interpretation in 170 Languages http://www.fda.gov/food/LabelingNutrition/ ConsumerInformation/ucm078889.htm TOO MUCH SALT CAN RAISE BLOOD PRESSURE AND • MedLine Plus (National Institutes of Health): LEAD TO HEART ATTACK AND STROKE www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/dietarysodium.html • American Heart Association: www.heart.org • American Dietetic Association: www.eatright.org

For copies of any Health Bulletin All Health Bulletins are also available at nyc.gov/health • Available in Spanish and Chinese: call 311 or visit nyc.gov/health Visit nyc.gov/health/email for a free e-mail subscription • Disponible en español: llame al 311 o visite nyc.gov/health • nyc.gov/health Health

HPD1X2524E – 10.10 nyc.gov/health