Go Ahead . . . Pass the Salt

The debate continues: Sodium vs. genetics, diet, and lifestyle

Are you sodium savvy? Take this quick quiz and test how much you know about your sodium intake. Then read on to learn about the latest developments in the sodium debate. You may be surprised!

Which contains the least amount of salt?
1 small dill pickle
1 ounce potato chips
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1 cup corn flakes cereal

The correct answer is: 1 ounce potato chips.
A 1-ounce serving of potato chips contains roughly 170 milligrams of sodium. A cup of corn flakes has 266 milligrams, a 1/2 cup of cottage cheese has 456 milligrams, and a small dill pickle contains over 470 milligrams. Read on to find out why this might not matter...

The salt content of the typical American diet ranges from:
0-1,000 milligrams
1,000-3,000 milligrams
3,000-5,000 milligrams
5,000+ milligrams

The correct answer is: 3,000-5,000 milligrams
The average American consumes between 3000 and 5000 milligrams of sodium per day. Read on to find out if this amount is harmful...

True of False: All people need to strictly limit salt intake to be healthy, even people with normal blood pressure.
True
False

The correct answer is: false
Salt restriction may not be much benefit to healthy people with normal blood pressure. Read the rest of the article to find out why...