On average, American adults eat more than 3,400 milligrams (mg) of sodium each day, which is significantly higher than the recommended limit. The 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that Americans consume less than 2,300 mg of sodium each day as part of a healthy eating pattern. The majority of the sodium Americans consumes—more than 70%—is found in processed food and restaurant meals.
Choosing and preparing foods that are lower in salt and sodium may help prevent or lower high blood pressure. High blood pressure can raise the risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
Dishes with many ingredients — like pizza, casseroles, burgers, tacos, and sandwiches — tend to have ingredients that are high in sodium. When making these dishes, limit ingredients that are often high in sodium:
•Processed meats, poultry, and seafood — like deli meats, sausages, pepperoni, and sardines
•Sauces, dressings, and condiments
•Instant products like flavored rice, instant noodles, and ready-made pasta
Depending on the food choices, it doesn’t take much to consume more sodium than recommended.
*One slice of bread can contain anywhere from 80 to230 mg of sodium, and a slice of frozen pizza can contain between 370 and 730 mg.
*Some breakfast cereals contain 150 to 300 mg of sodium before milk is added.