Too much salt in children's diets
Researchers looked at the sodium content of more than a thousand pre-packaged meals and snacks food…Researchers looked at the sodium content of more than a thousand pre-packaged meals and snacks food for babies and toddlers; 75% of them were high in sodium.
"The problem with adding so much sodium to toddler foods is that they're changing the flavor of these foods," said Dr. Suzanne Loiselle, a Manhattan pediatrician. She says that creates a problem later in life when kids become adults and crave the salty foods they are used to.
"Our goal in the toddler years is really to shape eating patterns and shape the palate," Loiselle said.
Researchers defined high in sodium as anything more than 210mg; the only way to know is to check the label.
In the organic section where things should be healthy, some crackers have 100mg of sodium. Some veggie crisps have 25mg of sodium per serving.
However, that would not taste good to most adults, whose palates are accustomed to salt-filled packaged and processed foods.
Another new study says too much salt is to blame for one out of every 10 deaths in the United States. It is linking high salt intake to heart disease and strokes. The Harvard researchers say three-quarters of adults worldwide consume nearly twice the daily recommended amount of salt.
