Toronto, ON (PRWEB) July 10, 2013
Bel Marra Health, who offers high-quality, specially formulated vitamins and nutritional supplements, reports on a new study revealing pizza as a main factor in America’s high sodium intake levels.
As Bel Marra Health reports in its article, (http://www.belmarrahealth.com/heart-health/americas-worst-culprit-of-sodium-may-surprise-you/), despite the fact that more and more people are being warned to watch their salt intake, a recent U.S. study showed that 90 percent of Americans continue to consume sodium at levels much higher than the recommended daily intake. This is contributing to some of the leading health problems, such as high blood pressure, stroke, and heart disease, as well as millions of dollars in spent on medical care. And while this has led many people to take precautionary health measures by cutting down on some of their favorite salty snacks, like pretzels and potato chips, new research shows that the real culprit behind continually rising sodium intake is the last one you may have suspected - and one which certainly shows no signs of declining popularity. It would seem that the biggest overall contributor to dietary sodium is America's beloved pizza.
Salt is a main source of sodium, and contrary to what most people think, most of the sodium Americans are getting comes from processed and restaurant foods rather than voluntarily-added table salt. According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, between 2003 and 2008, the single biggest contributor to sodium in the diet of young Americans was Pizza. It accounted for a whopping 10.3 percent of intake for 12 to 19 year olds. Pizza came in third for intake amongst adults aged 20 to 50. Statistics also show that 94 percent of Americans eat Pizza on a regular basis.
Surprisingly, one measly slice of pizza actually contains quite a lot of sodium. When researchers broke down a slice of pizza they found that not only does the dough contain sodium, the rest of the ingredients, including the cheese, sauce, meats and even the vegetables contain sodium as well.
Despite the high amount of sodium in pizza, some could argue that there are many other food items that are higher in salt and are a contributing factor to illnesses like heart disease. Nutritionists and scientists say that while this may be true, when taking the frequency of consumption into account, the biggest sources of sodium are not always the most sodium-rich foods. Statistics show that 3 billion pizzas are sold in the U.S annually, and that the average American eats about 46 slices each year.
Government reports indicate that American adults eat an average of 3,466 milligrams of sodium every day. This is more than twice the recommended limit for the majority of people. Ages two and up should consume less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day. Those who are 50 and older or people who suffer from high blood pressure, diabetes or kidney disease should only have 1,300 milligrams per day.
When sodium builds up in the body, it draws water molecules out of the cell and into the blood. The extra water in the blood makes it harder for the body to work, causing stress and damage to the arteries. This can lead to many health problems, including heart disease. It is important to note, however, that humans require a certain amount of sodium in their diets to live healthy lives. Sodium is an important electrolyte that helps maintain the balance of fluid in the body. If the fluid in the body isn’t balanced, or if there is too little sodium, the feeling of exhaustion will set in and cells will swell, causing medical problems.
Salt has been used for many years and has been an essential ingredient for preserving food, including vegetables and meats. Still, most health experts, including nutritionists at Harvard and officials at the American Heart Association, are eager to get the message out about the excessive amounts of sodium that people are exposed to via over-eating of processed foods, requiring most people to remain continually conscious of their sodium intake. Simply by reducing the amount of processed foods and restaurant foods that are consumed, people can begin to successfully bring sodium levels back to healthy levels, subsequently improving national health and saving billions of dollars each year in medical costs.
(SOURCE: Watson, Elaine. "Pizza: The Biggest Single Contributor of Sodium to the American Diet?" FoodNavigator-USA.com. N.p., 17 June 2013.)
Bel Marra Health is the maker of “Heart Rescue,” a high-quality nutritional supplement that helps to reduce risk of heart disease, improve circulation, and maintain healthy cholesterol and triglycerides. All ingredients are backed with scientific evidence. Every product is tested for safety, quality, and purity at every stage of the manufacturing process. Furthermore, Bel Marra Health products are produced only in Health Canada approved facilities, going the extra mile to ensure that our health-conscious customers are getting top quality products. For more information on Bel Marra Health visit belmarrahealth.com or call 1-866-531-0466.