FDA is taking steps to reduce sodium again (Phase 2) and released the new draft targets on Aug. 15. Increased sodium has been reported to cause high blood pressure, and if you get to be my age, I get the same lecture about sodium (and fat) every time I visit the doctor. I have low blood pressure, and I still get the lecture. According to some recent reads, sodium intake is almost 50% higher than recommended and 90% of Americans are eating more than the recommended limit of 2300 mg/day.

Of course, the food supply is to blame, and further processed products are taking the biggest blame. We all get lumped into the processed foods are “bad for you” designation. In fact, this draft target focuses on commercially processed, packaged, and prepared foods “because more than 70% of sodium intake is from sodium added during food manufacturing and commercial food preparation” according to the FDA constituent update.

But let’s really think about this sodium intake and how further processed foods contribute. Sodium in further processed foods is there for a reason — to prevent spoilage and to prevent outgrowth of some pathogens. Basically, if you reduce sodium, guess what happens? You must add other ingredients that bind water to increase the total solids available and maintain safety and quality on the shelf. It is an important ingredient that cannot be overlooked. But are further processed products really the issue and the focus of all, or most, of the blame? I say no.

The FDA has listed very valuable steps for reducing sodium. They include cutting back on foods such as “deli meat sandwiches, pizza, burritos and tacos,” asking for nutritional information when ordering at restaurants and choosing the lower sodium option, reading nutritional facts when grocery shopping, and a few other tips. I agree with this strategy 100%. However, the new draft targets focus on further processors and not restaurants. Again, the target is sodium reduction in foods that are commercially processed, packaged, or prepared.

Since most American’s eat out, where are the target documents for restaurants and meal preparation outside of the home? Our food system does not survive in a silo. There is a continuum from the farm to someone’s mouth. A lot happens between the processor and consumption. If FDA really wants to reduce sodium, then bring back school nutrition programs and home economics (food preparation). Teach people to eat healthy and make better choices.

Also, we must understand that we have choices every day, and our health is our responsibility. The principle of you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink applies here. You can lead the charge for lower sodium, but you can’t make people eat less salt unless they want to. And speaking of drinking, has anyone ever looked at the sodium content of drinks, especially hydration packets? How many of those do we drink a week and consider ourselves being “healthy”?

Makes me wonder if our focus isn’t a little too targeted on processed foods.

The Attack on Salt

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