Does high salt intake lead to cardiovascular problems? According to a study released in June, it does. A ‘more accurate’ test measurement showed a direct link between consuming high amounts of salt and an elevated risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.
People have believed for years that eating salt makes you gain weight. The working theory behind this was that eating salt made you retain water and made you thirsty, which made you heavier. But a study by Vanderbilt University researchers turns that theory on its head. Salt consumption, it seems, does neither. [1]
It could even help you…lose weight?
A study released earlier this year reveals that some 45% of all deaths in the U.S. in 2012 were due to “cardiometabolic disease,” or CMD – all because of the average diet. CMD encompasses heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. [1]
Researchers say that the largest number of diet-related CMD deaths are due to high consumption of sodium, processed meats, and sugar-sweetened drinks, and low intake of nuts and seeds, seafood omega-3 fats, and fruits and vegetables.
As far as fast-food joints go, Subway is considered to be one of the healthier ones. The chain offers many low-calories menu items, and it agreed to ditch a harmful bread additive found in yoga mats after concerned citizens inked a petition demanding the chemical’s removal. But an investigation by the CDC Marketplace reveals what some are calling a disturbing and disgusting secret about Subway’s chicken strips: they’re not 100% chicken. [1]
Ramen noodles are cheap, easy to make, and they taste good, which is why so many college kids live on them in school. I know I did. You can buy a whole box of them for just a few bucks. Between instant noodles, Lucky Charms, and cappuccino, I ate like I had a death wish in college. And though indulging in the occasional cup of noodles won’t kill you, but living on them could shorten your life.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is asking for the public’s help in defining what “healthy” means when it comes to food. [1]
The agency officially launched the public process on redefining how the “healthy” label can be used September 27, and opened the matter up for public comment on the following day.
The FDA said:
While some areas, such as New York City, are working to make sure that individuals have the full picture of what they’re putting in their mouths (by placing salt warning icons next to food menu items), efforts are being made on a national level to actually lower sodium content in food.
Chain restaurants in New York City which fail to put symbols on their menus beside dishes containing excessive amounts of salt can be fined $200, and those that repeatedly fail to comply with the mandate could lose their permits.
Source: The New York Times
The take-away from eating takeout with less sodium should be a no-brainer, but many people are unaware that one serving of General Tsao’s chicken can contain up to 2,325 mg of sodium – 25 mg more than the amount FDA recommends eating in an entire day. Perhaps this is why the city of Philadelphia decided to work with its Chinese food restaurants to reduce that amount by 10-15%.
Just days after some restaurants in New York City started putting warnings on their menus about the high salt content of certain dishes, an industry group has filed a lawsuit accusing health regulators of overstepping their legal bounds in enacting the first-of-its-kind requirement.
