Low Sodium Option

Low Sodium Option

Low Sodium Option. I'm Greg Martin with today's Fruit Grower Report. Americans consume unhealthy amounts of sodium in their food, far exceeding public health recommendations. Consuming too much sodium increases the risk for high blood pressure, a serious health condition that is avoidable and can lead to a variety of diseases. As government-imposed restrictions on sodium in packaged foods may loom, a produce organization is touting fruits and vegetables as a way to cut down on salt. Lacy Gray has the story. GRAY: In a report just released by the Institute of Medicine it is stated that most fruits and vegetables are naturally low in sodium or sodium-free. They recommend that people simply focus on eating more fruits and veggies, both at home and when dining out and their diets will generally be lower in sodium, which could lower their risks for these health problems. Conversely, hypertension has also been associated with diets too low in potassium. Fruits and vegetables are some of the best sources of potassium in the diet, so adding more of them can help lower health risks in this way too. The public awareness campaign that has been launched since the study was released includes various efforts to increase consumers' demand for fruits and vegetables, including an essay contest for families to tell their best fruit and vegetable success stories. Consumers could swap salt with flavoring from fruits and vegetables, such as by putting jalapeno and pineapple salsa over grilled chicken, fish or pork. And you can reduce sodium by adding fruits and vegetables as side dishes to entrees. That's today's Fruit Grower Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.
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