Reducing Sodium: From Menu to Mouth (Infographic and text from the CDC)

Reducing Sodium: From Menu to Mouth

Excess sodium can lead to high blood pressure, a major contributor to heart disease and stroke. Home prepared meals have less sodium than meals prepared in fast food or sit down restaurants.

What Can You Do?

Ask for sodium content before ordering, or check online before eating out. Home prepared meals have less sodium per calorie than meals prepared in fast food or sit down restaurants, on average. Food from fast food restaurants contains 1,848 mg sodium per 1,000 calories, on average. Food from sit-down restaurants contains 2,090 mg sodium per 1,000 calories, on average.

The U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend limiting sodium to less than 2,300 mg/day, and about 6 in 10 adults should further limit sodium to 1,500 mg/day*. Choose wisely to stay under 2,300 mg**.

Top 6 Sources of Sodium from Restaurant Foods (1,2):

• 170 to 7,260 mg sodium per sandwich.
• 393 to 4,163 mg sodium per slice of pizza containing meat.
• 200 to 2,940 mg per burger.
• 62 to 7,358 mg sodium per chicken entrée.
• 250 to 4,870 mg per Mexican entrée.
• 4 to 4,530 mg sodium per salad

*Refers to those age 51 and older, and those of any age with high blood pressure, diabetes, or chronic kidney disease.
**Averages are for 2012–2013.

References

1. IOM Strategies to Reduce Sodium Intake in the United States.
2. Sodium content was determined using MenuStat.org.

Infographic and text from Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Author: Shelly Najjar

MPH in Public Health Nutrition, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist // Freelance Writer, Community Builder // I have a very long Goal List (Bucket List) and I enjoy doing nail art. View all posts by Shelly Najjar