Have you ever wondered why consuming too much fast-food is a much more prevalent health issue in the United States than in other countries? According to a news story from CNN, American fast-food consumers might be eating larger doses of sodium than fast-food consumers outside of the United States.
The countries compared to the United States in this study on fast-food sodium content level were Australia, Canada, France, New Zealand, and the UK. Consuming too much sodium can raise a person’s blood pressure substantially and lead to hypertension, which is a leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease. But the main problem in efforts to minimize the amount of sodium that fast-food companies are putting in their products is that consumers in industrialized nations have become accustomed to saltier foods. Companies therefore worry that reducing salt will make their products less competitive.
If you’re wondering which states consume the most fast food:
- Alabama
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Texas
- Utah
- West Virginia
If you’re wondering about which food brands include a lot of salt:
- Raisin Bran
- Classico Caramelized Onion and Roasted Garlic Pasta Sauce
- Slim Jim Original Beef Jerky
- Kellogg’s Eggo Buttermilk Pancakes
- MorningStar Farms Chipotle Black Bean Burger
- Heinz Ketchup
- Kraft Singles
- V8 Spicy Hot Vegetable Juice
- Green Giant Canned Mushrooms
- DiGiorno for One Pepperoni Thin Crispy Crust
- Rice-a-Roni
- Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Devil’s Food Cake
- Campbell’s Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup
- Lean Cuisine Baja-Style Chicken Quesadilla
- Vlasic Kosher Dill Whole Pickles
- Maruchan Ramen Noodle Soup
- Lunchables Ham and Swiss With Crackers
In general, it’s better to avoid processed foods and stick with organic produce, but if you can’t afford to live off organic food, at least try to avoid the processed foods mentioned above.
How Can CladeHealth Tracker Help?
If your family has a history of high blood pressure or cardiovascular disease, it is crucial that you avoid foods that are high in sodium. You can store information on your family’s health history in your CladeHealth Tracker so that you always have it on hand. And if you do have high blood pressure, you can track that condition in this personal health record as well. When you’re continuously monitoring health issues associated with certain foods, you are more likely to avoid the foods that act as triggers for those conditions.
Empower yourself with CladeHealth Tracker.
For more information: http://news.health.com/2012/04/16/fast-food-saltier-in-us/
