Toss the Salt! Carleton University Healthy Workplace Program Cindy Sass, RD October 8, 2013

What’s the worry with salt? High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) 1 out of 5 Canadians have it. It is Deadly! boosts risks of heart attack, stroke, heart failure, kidney disease, dementia. It accounts for far more doctor visits than any other ailment.

Salt 30 % of high blood pressure is due to high salt intake. (Blood Pressure Canada) Beyond its effect on blood pressure, salt may damage the heart, kidneys and other organs.

Lower salt means less disease People who cut their salt intake: ◦Have lower blood pressures, risk of stroke and heart attack, and other cardiovascular events. ◦A decrease in sodium in the diet even among those with modestly elevated blood pressure, lowers risk of CVD later in life.

Nearly everyone gets high blood pressure Over time 90% of people in Canada will develop hypertension. Blood pressure rises as you age. In a US study, average systolic blood pressure in Americans aged 45-64, jumped five points in five years.

Blood Pressure and Risk

I don’t salt my food or use it in cooking......

I don’t salt my foods... Fact 80 % of the salt we eat is added to food before we buy it.

The average Canadian consumes about 3,500 mg of sodium per day Adequate Intake (AI) Upper Limit (UL) Infants 0-6 months 120 mg/day No data Infants 7-12 months 370 mg/day No data Children 1-3 years 1000 mg/day 1500 mg/day Children 4-8 years 1200 mg/day 1900 mg/day Teens 9-13 years 1500 mg/day 2200 mg/day Adults years 1500 mg/day 2300 mg/day Older adults years 1300 mg/day Older adults over 70 years 1200 mg/day

BiG LiFE Sodium Quiz Recommended intake for adults is 1500 mg Where do you get your sodium from??

Sources of Sodium Restaurant Meals Condiments and sauces Canned foods, soups Breads and cereals Ready to eat meals and mixes Snack foods Processed foods Cheese Processed/Deli meats

Salt on the Menu

Condiments

Canned, and pickled foods

Cereal

Bread

How to read a nutrition facts label When checking sodium levels, focus on: Serving size: How much food the Nutrition Facts table refers to. The number of mg of sodium listed in the table. Number of servings consumed x number of mg of sodium listed = mg sodium consumed. Remember, the recommended daily intake for adults is 1,500 mg sodium (around 500 mg per meal).

Sodium 101

% of Daily Value

Toss the Salt! Buy and eat more fresh foods, especially fruits and vegetables. Remember that unprocessed, fresh foods such as fruits and vegetables are good for you and are naturally low in sodium.

Toss the salt! Cook more food at home to avoid relying on take out or drive thru meals. Dine out less often, when possible ask for less salt to be added when ordering.

Toss the salt! Limit processed foods or ready to eat foods. Choose packaged foods lower in sodium or brands with the lowest % DV of sodium on the food label.

Toss the salt! Rarely eat foods that are smoked, cured, pickled or salted.

Toss the salt! Try to avoid high sodium products with more than 400 milligrams (mg) sodium per serving. Cut back on those with a sodium content of 200 –400 mg per serving. Look for those products with less than 200 mg per serving.

Toss the salt! If you do use canned products, rinse the contents before using.

Toss the salt! Limit the use of condiments. Flavour your food with lemon or lime juice, fresh garlic, spices and herbs.

Look for no salt added options

No salt added!

Low sodium choices

Naturally low in sodium

Salt free snack

Sodium Label Claims

Salt is salt, whether it’s Himalayan, Kosher, Rock, Sea, or Table Gourmet salts contain approximately 100% sodium chloride, just like table salt, meaning they will have exactly the same effect on your blood pressure and health. Claims about “gourmet” salts being healthier than table varieties should be taken with a grain of salt.

Toss the salt! As you slowly decrease your salt your taste buds will adjust!

Toss the salt! We need to lobby our government to pressure and if necessary – require food companies to cut salt in our food.

Websites Sodium 101 app h/public/heart/hbp/dash h/public/heart/hbp/dash

Toss the salt! If it is a plant – eat it! If it is made in a plant – don’t!