Being aware of calorie consumption is a very useful tool in getting control of your weight. However, a recent study by the New York City Health Department made some interesting findings regarding sodium, according to MedPage Today.
High salt/sodium intake is a major contributor to cardiovascular disease. The American Heart Association recommends that adults stay under 1500 mg of sodium per day, and never take in more than 2,300 mg a day.
The MedPage fast food study showed:
▪ About 57% of the meals exceeded the 1,500-mg daily sodium level.
▪ Fried chicken outlets including KFC and Popeye’s were the worst offenders, with 83% of meals exceeding 1500 mg of sodium and 55% of the meals surpassing 2,300 mg of sodium.
▪ At only one of the 11 chains included in the study, Au Bon Pain, did more than 7% of meals contain less than 600 mg, the FDA’s “healthy” sodium level for meals. But even there, 46% of meals had 1,500 mg or more of sodium.
▪ Even those eating lower calorie meals were likely to exceed their daily sodium limit within a single meal.
Because of the higher sodium content in fast food fare, it would seem logical to try and refrain from adding salt to your meal.
Tony
Wellness Secrets of a SuperAger 
Always useful information Tony, Thanks!
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The human possesses the innate cravings for Fat, Sugar and Salt. There was a time in human history where as seasons changed we sometimes went for months with little to eat. We learned to store fat too make it through times like these and out minds learned to crave the elements that help us attain that fat quickly. Fat, Sugar and Salt. With that said, guess what the three indredients are that keep people coming back to fast food restaurants for more of their food? There is actually a food science behind this. Of course we do not need to pack on the fat like our ancestors did, but we still suffer these cravings for reasons of survival.
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I understand about the out-of-date hardwiring we all share. We aren’t running from wild beasts in the forest any more either, but we have new challenges in our modern life that are mental as well as physical. Too much fat, sugar and salt can do us in just as certainly as being attacked by a carnivore. The only difference is that the carnivore has the good grace to finish us off in a heartbeat. The junk food, however, eats away at our health until we end up with arteries so clogged we are out of breath climbing a flight of stairs. It’s important to guard against using the cravings as a cop out for bad eating habits and digging ourselves an early grave with a knife and fork.
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YUP. Most people who are starting to watch their health are cautious about sugar, but not much about salt. The bad effects of having so much salt in our body is unimaginable so it really is good to watch the sodium content of the food we intake.
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Thanks very much for your comment. Glad to see we agree.
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