National Jewish Health Salt intake in a pack of potato chips and cereals may be rather equivalent with each other. This can be found out by reading the nutrition labels on the cover of both the packs. As per their labels, one 32-gram helping of Kellogg’s Corn Flakes apparently comprises of 200 milligrams of sodium. A single 28-gram portion of Lays Classic Potato Chips supposedly includes 180 mg, almost corresponding to the corn flakes on a per gram basis.

Decreasing the sodium in one’s diet may decrease their odds of suffering from high blood pressure, stroke and heart attack. Taste, nevertheless, may not be the best means to determine the amount of sodium present in the food one consumes. Several insipid foods could be saltier than people’s taste buds may tell. The potato chips taste saltier as compared to the cereal since the salt is on the surface of the potato chips but blended all through the cereal.

“Salt is everywhere – be smart and on the lookout! Most salt in the American diet comes not out of the shaker at home, but is added to food during processing and manufacture. So don’t trust your tongue- read the labels to know how much sodium you are really consuming,” commented National Jewish Health cardiologist Andrew Freeman, MD.

Americans apparently have a lot of salt intake. American men take an average of 4,100 mg of sodium each day and women roughly 2,900 mg. The US government is said to have advised an every day consumption of 2,400 mg or less of sodium a day for individuals having a 2,000-calorie diet.

The research supposedly proposed that reducing standard sodium consumption in America by 1,200 mg per day, a rounded teaspoon, may aid in averting up to 99,000 heart attacks, 66,000 strokes and 92,000 deaths, and save up to $24 billion in yearly health care expenses. Decreasing sodium intake by as slight as 400 mg per day may perhaps save as many as 32,000 people.

Dr. Freeman remarked, “Look at the nutritional facts listed on food labels to be sure how much sodium you are consuming. You may be surprised by what you see. Also pay attention to the serving size used for nutritional facts. They are often quite small.”

For instance, Campbell’s Microwavable Bowls of soup, are said to be wrapped up in one container, but tagged as two servings. A portion comprises of 750 mg of sodium. Thus, the bowl apparently encompasses 1,500 mg, most of a day’s worth of salt.

Other foods that may normally include elevated levels of sodium are namely wheat flakes cereal, processed cheeses, canned soups, processed cocoa, margarine, dill pickles and several salad dressings.

The research was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.