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.