Too Much Salt or Too Much Processed Food?

Since we briefly touched upon the age-old debate of salt intake in class yesterday, I figured I would post this article I came across.

http://vitals.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/07/10342463-cdc-9-out-of-10-americans-eat-too-much-salt

For those who do not know, researchers are trying to revisit the topic of sodium intakes and whether or not they directly impact health as originally proposed. It is interesting to note that other than breads, the top salt-containting food sources people consume are lunch meats, pizza, cheeseburgers, sandwiches, pasta dishes, meat dishes, and snack foods. Anyone notice the trend that most of these items also contain significant amounts of fats and calories, especially if purchased from a restaurant? Could it be other cofactors (like fat) that usually accompany salty foods, that are the true link to unhealthy states? I, for one, would love to see a study that observes people who consume entirely home-cooked foods with varying salt intakes. Let's see those results!

So I challenge you to examine your food this week for salt intake. Do your high sodium foods also contain more fat and calories?