Americans consume too much sodium, with an average of 3,466 mg per day, exceeding the recommended levels of 2,300 mg for young, healthy people. Processed and fast foods account for 77% of sodium intake, and high blood pressure affects 90% of Americans. Older adults and African Americans should consume less than 1,500 mg per day. Even regular foods and condiments can be high in sodium.
Americans consume, on average, 3,466 milligrams (mg) of sodium on a daily basis. The recommended levels for young, healthy people are less than 2,300 mg per day. Doctors recommend that older adults and African Americans consume even fewer milligrams at less than 1,500 mg per day due to their increased risk of high blood pressure.
Other Savory Facts:
In the United States, processed foods and fast food restaurant meals account for 77 percent of the average American’s dietary sodium intake.
Sodium is a major factor in high blood pressure disease, a disease that an estimated 90 percent of Americans will develop at some point in their lives.
Even regular foods contain sodium. For example, 1 cup (227 grams) of cottage cheese contains more than 900 mg of sodium; pastrami has about 1.227 mg; and the sodium content in a frozen pizza can range from 450 mg to 1,200 mg. Condiments can also be high in sodium: 1 tablespoon (14.8 milliliters) of soy sauce can contain up to 1,000 mg of sodium.
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