Low-Salt Diets By: Andrea and Carson

WHAT IS A LOW- SALT DIET? We asked a survey of 5/6 graders for their opinion on what a Low-Salt diet really is. Abby: “I think its like, when people can’t like, eat a lot of salt” Charlie: “I don’t know! Wait, don’t type that!” Marissa: “I think it is when people don’t eat much salt so they don’t get really fat” Aidan: “I think it is when a lot of food has salt in it, so the person on the diet does not eat that food” Sarah: “Like, you eat things, that like, don’t have a lot of salt” Ryan: “You are so unhealthy that you eat a lot of salt, and then you burst!” Haley: “Oh, um, its when, oh, its like, when you don’t eat a lot of salt?”

THE TRUTH Sometimes, the truth might be painful, but here’s the truth, for our survey answerers. “A main source of sodium is table salt. The average American eats five or more teaspoons of salt each day. This is about 20 times as much as the body needs. In fact, your body needs only 1/4 teaspoon of salt every day. Sodium is found naturally in foods, but a lot of it is added during processing and preparation. Many foods that do not taste salty may still be high in sodium. Large amounts of sodium can be hidden in canned, processed and convenience foods. And sodium can be found in many foods that are served at fast food restaurants.” “Sodium controls fluid balance in our bodies and maintains blood volume and blood pressure. Eating too much sodium may raise blood pressure and cause fluid retention, which could lead to swelling of the legs and feet or other health issues.” “When limiting sodium in your diet, a common target is to eat less than 2,000 milligrams of sodium per day.”

REACTIONS Here’s what our survey answerers said after they got the cold hard truth from our producers. Abby: “Oh my goodness! I didn’t know that!” Charlie: “I eat like, four teaspoons every day! Oh my god man! I’m going to burst! Marissa: “ I really am astonished…” Aidan: “ I have no idea! Go away! Your creeping me out! Get away!” Sarah: “ I don’t know? What?!?” Ryan: “ I’m not trying to brag, but uh, I eat like, half a tablespoon a day, so I’m pretty much on track with my diet!” Haley: “ Well, I eat a lot of salt, but in the summer, don’t you like, sweat it off or something?

CONFESSIONS The truth straight from our answerers on their secrets on salt. Abby: “No I don’t get any of that stuff! I have nothing to hide!” Charlie: “Whenever I go to McDonald’s, I always get extra salt on my French Fries…” Marissa: “ I don’t really have any secrets, but I do once in a while eat salt from the pretzel bag…” Aidan: “I feel weird getting all these questions asked to me…” Sarah: “No! That is disgusting!” Ryan: “ NOOOOOOO!” Haley: “I would always lick my finger, and put in the bottom of the bag of pretzels to get all the extra salt.”

FUN FACTS Here are some quick and fun facts about salt, and how it can effect your everyday life. 1. Right up to the 20th century, pound bars of salt (called amoleh) were the basic currency in Abyssinia (now called Ethiopia). 2. The amazing Salar de Uyuni (the world’s largest salt flat at 4,000 square miles) in Bolivia becomes mirrorlike when a thin layer of water lies on top. This reflectivity makes it a very useful tool in calibration scientific equipment from outer space. This amazing salt flat also contains half of the world’s supply of lithium. 3. Salt is so essential to the body that if you drink too much water it can flush it out of your system and cause fatal Hyponatremia. This is what killed Jennifer Strange who entered a “Hold your wee for a wii” competition. 4. Consumption of too much salt can be deadly – you need to take about 1 gram of salt per kilogram of weight to die and this was used as a method of ritual suicide in China – especially amongst the nobility as salt was so expensive. 5. Good quality sea salt contains many essential minerals for the body. The best type of sea salt should be slightly wet from the sea it was taken from.

SOURCES Here is a list of our sites, that helped us with all the facts. facts-about-salt/ facts-about-salt/ rition/hic_low-sodium_diet_guidelines.aspx rition/hic_low-sodium_diet_guidelines.aspx

CAST AND CREW Thanks to all those who helped put this project together! We really appreciate all the hard work! Producers: Carson P and Andrea J Survey Answerers: Abby W Marissa M Charlie C Sarah C Haley B Ryan T Aidan C Special Effects Coordinators: Andrea J and Carson P And Special Thanks to Applebee’s, “Eatin’ good in the neighborhood!”