Before the New York Health patrol decided it was time to focus everyone on the evils of salt, and there are plenty of health reasons to cut back on salt intake, several food manufacturers began their own private assault on salt. The introduction of lower sodium products and no-sodium foods has seen a resurgence in the past year. This time the strategy is different.
Salt is truly a villain for many; OK, make that most of us. Eating out means subjecting ourselves to the whims of the person on duty at the station. Whether it is a restaurant you frequent regularly or only occasionally, the person with the shaker in hand makes the final determination, regardless of the recipe. That extra shake may elevate your blood pressure into the danger zone. High blood pressure, stroke, and heart attacks are the primary health catastrophes from over-salting. New York City announced today The National Salt Reduction Initiative, a partnership of health organizations to create a voluntary reduction in salt levels in packaged and restaurant foods. Although this is a voluntary program, a number of food makers have already said the timetable is problematic.
Slowly reducing the amount of sodium has helped train the American consumer to appreciate the same product and not notice the gradual reduction in sodium. Campbell Soup Company is one of those food makers who has been on the frontline of the quiet reduction in sodium and simultaneously helping lower overall salt in their products. They pledged their continued sodium reduction program, a gradual step-by-step reduction. Their process has taken them from just 25 lower sodium products in 2005 to more than 110 such efforts today, including the entire line of V-8 drinks.
Sure there are plenty of labels that tout lesser sodium counts, but these ongoing efforts at lowering sodium levels gradually and getting consumers tastebuds on the program may have a more lasting effect. After all, salt is merely a seasoning.
We just need to use less salt, try other seasoning approaches, and be conscious of the overall health implications.
Time to shake it less and concentrate on a product’s natural taste.
