Salt can lurk in surprising places.
Consider bread. One slice of Arnold Specialty Brick Oven Premium white bread has more sodium (160 milligrams) than about 20 Utz Kettle Classic Original potato chips (120 milligrams).
The average American adult, who consumes 3,400 milligrams of sodium a day — more than 1,000 milligrams more than the recommended daily allowance of 2,300 milligrams — may not know that more than 70 percent of the sodium consumed in this country is already in food before it reaches the table. Too much sodium, a main component of table salt, can raise blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
With sodium in all kinds of packaged foods, the federal government has proposed the first set of guidelines for the food industry to reduce it. The rules are voluntary but health advocates say they are important because they set a national benchmark for sodium intake for the first time.
But you don’t have to wait for the salt guidelines to take effect. Below, we offer you some more insights into places where you may be unknowingly picking up extra salt in your diet.
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160 milligramsOne tablespoon of Heinz Ketchup
That’s about as much as is in six Triscuits, or 12 Ruffles Original potato chips.
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540 milligramsOne serving of Oscar Mayer Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
Which has more salt – a 2-ounce serving of this turkey or 27 Cheez-Its?
Answer: The turkey has way more – more than double the sodium in the Cheez-Its.
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1,200 milligramsSix slices of Hormel Original bacon
Some foods are salty no matter how you look at them. These strips of bacon have half of the recommended daily allowance. Just two tablespoons of Ken’s Italian salad dressing have 450 milligrams of sodium. One serving of Jack Link’s beef jerky has 590 milligrams of sodium, more than a quarter of the daily allowance.
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1,410 milligramsEinstein Bros. plain bagel egg sandwich with ham and Swiss cheese
Some of the worst offenders are restaurants – and not just during dinner service. An Einstein Brothers egg, ham and Swiss sandwich on a plain bagel will serve you more than half your daily allowance once you’re done with breakfast. A vegetarian deluxe salad from Au Bon Pain has 720 mg of sodium.
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1,250 milligramsMedium serving of Arby’s Curly french fries
That serving of Arby’s fries, about 170 grams, is nearly half the federal government’s recommended daily allowance for sodium. Compare that with a McDonald’s medium order, which is about 111 grams lighter, but even so has just a fraction of the sodium – 190 milligrams.
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1,830 milligramsHungry Man classic fried chicken meal
Last but not least are TV dinners. This one comes with mashed potatoes, corn and a brownie, and it will set you back by about 80 percent of your daily allowance.