Americans love salt. It adds flavor to meals, preserves perishable foods, and balances water and electrolyte levels in the body. Unfortunately, most people eat too much salt from processed foods. By doing so, they compromise their health in more ways than one.
Both health professionals and food industry leaders realize the necessity of lowering salt intake in America. On average, Americans consume around 3,300 milligrams of salt every day, and about 75 percent of this intake comes from processed foods. In contrast, the Food and Drug Administration recommends a maximum of 2,300 milligrams of salt per day.
In reality, people should actually switch their intake of sodium with potassium. For potassium, adults should aim for a whopping 4,700 milligrams, eating potassium-rich foods such as bananas, spinach, lentils, and tomatoes. Most Americans only consume about 60 percent of the recommended potassium, leading to electrolyte imbalance and further stress on the blood vessels.