The War Over Salt

[larrylee]

The War Over Salt (New York Times)

Now the nation’s largest doctors’ group, the American Medical Association, is going after the government and the food industry to reduce what it sees as a persistently high level of salt in many processed foods.

Specifically, the medical association, which had never before called for regulation of a food ingredient, asked the F.D.A. to revoke salt’s long-time status as a substance that is “generally recognized as safe,” a classification that warrants little oversight. Instead, the F.D.A. should regulate salt as a food additive, the medical group said.

In response, the F.D.A. says that within the next few months it will solicit comments in preparation for a hearing or workshop on the health concerns about salt, something the agency has never done before. The food industry, which adamantly opposes any regulation of salt, is lobbying the government to stop any attempts to force companies to limit salt in food.

[david coonce]

The War Over Salt (New York Times)

Now the nation’s largest doctors’ group, the American Medical Association, is going after the government and the food industry to reduce what it sees as a persistently high level of salt in many processed foods.

Specifically, the medical association, which had never before called for regulation of a food ingredient, asked the F.D.A. to revoke salt’s long-time status as a substance that is “generally recognized as safe,” a classification that warrants little oversight. Instead, the F.D.A. should regulate salt as a food additive, the medical group said.

In response, the F.D.A. says that within the next few months it will solicit comments in preparation for a hearing or workshop on the health concerns about salt, something the agency has never done before. The food industry, which adamantly opposes any regulation of salt, is lobbying the government to stop any attempts to force companies to limit salt in food.

←

It's about time. Processed foods are the foods that are killing us - not Foie Gras or Carbs or fat or Raw Milk cheese or anything - the less processed foods we consume the better.

[JohnL]

The War Over Salt (New York Times)

Now the nation’s largest doctors’ group, the American Medical Association, is going after the government and the food industry to reduce what it sees as a persistently high level of salt in many processed foods.

Specifically, the medical association, which had never before called for regulation of a food ingredient, asked the F.D.A. to revoke salt’s long-time status as a substance that is “generally recognized as safe,” a classification that warrants little oversight. Instead, the F.D.A. should regulate salt as a food additive, the medical group said.

In response, the F.D.A. says that within the next few months it will solicit comments in preparation for a hearing or workshop on the health concerns about salt, something the agency has never done before. The food industry, which adamantly opposes any regulation of salt, is lobbying the government to stop any attempts to force companies to limit salt in food.

←

It's about time. Processed foods are the foods that are killing us - not Foie Gras or Carbs or fat or Raw Milk cheese or anything - the less processed foods we consume the better.

←

"processed foods are the foods that are killing us"

really!

First--the Times in positioning this issue as a "war" is engaging in a bit of hyperbole (gets attention and sells papers--a common media ploy these days).

We have the AMA (a group also seeking some attention) making an assertion and a demand that would lead to more regulation (do we have enough regulations?).

The AMA has an agenda and keep in mind no group has been infallible.

It was not too long ago that the Doctors and Scientists were saying salt was not bad for us.

Then the Times did a piece about how salt was becoming trendy.

We heard how bran was the answer then we were told bran was not the answer.

La Di La Di Life goes on!

I prefer that people get information and all sides of the story.

Then make their own decisions.

I am for reasonable product information and labeling.

Seems to me that regulating salt may not be the best solution/answer.

Maybe it is education.

I also do not look at the food industry as an evil empire out to kill us via salt.

I believe in moderation. and awareness.

not bans or regulation.

I prefer to save myself

thank you!

so here's how it should work.

The doctors and scientists have their say.

The food industry has theirs.

The Time reports the facts.

We make the final decision.

I gotta go now--cable news is reporting that some group has declared

the board of directors for MacDonalds are war criminals!

The revolution is at hand!!!!

They're coming for my charcuterie!!!!!

Edited September 14, 2006 by JohnL (log)

[david coonce]

The War Over Salt (New York Times)

Now the nation’s largest doctors’ group, the American Medical Association, is going after the government and the food industry to reduce what it sees as a persistently high level of salt in many processed foods.

Specifically, the medical association, which had never before called for regulation of a food ingredient, asked the F.D.A. to revoke salt’s long-time status as a substance that is “generally recognized as safe,” a classification that warrants little oversight. Instead, the F.D.A. should regulate salt as a food additive, the medical group said.

In response, the F.D.A. says that within the next few months it will solicit comments in preparation for a hearing or workshop on the health concerns about salt, something the agency has never done before. The food industry, which adamantly opposes any regulation of salt, is lobbying the government to stop any attempts to force companies to limit salt in food.

←

It's about time. Processed foods are the foods that are killing us - not Foie Gras or Carbs or fat or Raw Milk cheese or anything - the less processed foods we consume the better.

←

"processed foods are the foods that are killing us"

really!

First--the Times in positioning this issue as a "war" is engaging in a bit of hyperbole (gets attention and sells papers--a common media ploy these days).

We have the AMA (a group also seeking some attention) making an assertion and a demand that would lead to more regulation (do we have enough regulations?).

The AMA has an agenda and keep in mind no group has been infallible.

It was not too long ago that the Doctors and Scientists were saying salt was not bad for us.

Then the Times did a piece about how salt was becoming trendy.

We heard how bran was the answer then we were told bran was not the answer.

La Di La Di Life goes on!

I prefer that people get information and all sides of the story.

Then make their own decisions.

I am for reasonable product information and labeling.

Seems to me that regulating salt may not be the best solution/answer.

Maybe it is education.

I also do not look at the food industry as an evil empire out to kill us via salt.

I believe in moderation. and awareness.

not bans or regulation.

I prefer to save myself

thank you!

so here's how it should work.

The doctors and scientists have their say.

The food industry has theirs.

The Time reports the facts.

We make the final decision.

I gotta go now--cable news is reporting that some group has declared

the board of directors for MacDonalds are war criminals!

The revolution is at hand!!!!

They're coming for my charcuterie!!!!!

←

I don't really want to get into it too much, but you and I both know that the salt used in carcuterie doesn't end up in the finished product at anywhere near the proportion salt ends up in the finished product of processed foods.

I don't want to argue with you about processed foods - I just want you to take a look at the labels on processed foods and then claim, with a straight face, that processed foods are fine.

[ExtraMSG]

From Nutrition Data (Serving Size/Sodium):

Potato Chips: 237g/1192mg = .5%

Bacon: 38g/317mg = .8%

[Mallet]

If the recommendation were adopted, packaged-food companies would have to adhere to limits on allowable sodium levels for various categories of food, and speed up the search for an alternative to salt as a preservative and flavor enhancer.

[...]

Part of the problem is that salt is an easy and cheap way to give processed foods an appealing taste. The manipulation of ingredients that occurs during manufacturing can diminish food flavors, requiring flavor to be added back in. Gary K. Beauchamp, director of the Monell Chemical Senses Center, a research center in Philadelphia, says that salt also functions as a preservative, gives texture to food and helps hide unpleasant tastes that are sometimes created during processing.

[...]

In 2003, ConAgra says, it abandoned a version of its Healthy Choice Chicken Noodle soup that had 360 milligrams of sodium per serving because sales were dismal. Similarly, in 2001 General Mills introduced three varieties of Hamburger Helper that had 25 percent less sodium, only to withdraw the products from shelves less than a year later.

There's an underlying tradeoff here. Salt makes craptastic food taste good. If we persist on eating craptastic food and trying to making taste good, we require lots of salt. The solution is too obvious to mention.

Maybe the processed food should move towards products with lots of spices? Maybe these would provide enough taste to allow acceptably low levels of salt...

[JohnL]

David.

Processed foods are fine!!!

When consumed in moderation by healthy people who

have a varied diet.

The food industry (processed or otherwise) is not out out kill us.

I believe that they are always making improvements in ingredients and processing

methods. (yes sometimes they put profits ahead of things). They are highly regulated.

There is a load of salt and often nitrites in charcouterie.

These are "processed" foods. We can quibble over the amount but salt

is salt.

In fact hot dogs are often lumped into the "junk food" category.

Hot dogs are charcouterie!

I believe that people simply need to be informed and the media needs to do a

good responsible job of disseminating information.

We need to know what is in our foods and we do need to know what current scientific /medical based thinking is.

We do not need more regulations and we certainly do not need bans.

There are aways potential problems with anything and everything we consumer processed or natural (need I remind you of a little spinach problem going on as we post--also as a result of this spinach thing I have learned that most of that packaged "organic" stuff is washed with a chlorine solution--it is "processed.")

Too often we have self interested groups (the AMA is concerned first and foremost with their membership) lobbying the government to do things their way and the media hyping the "latest findings"--findings that often change or are contradictory with other findings.

If you regulate salt as an "additive" do the laws differentiate among a twinkie and sardines packed in salt and salumi???

What exactly does "processed" mean?

I believe we do need to watch what we eat.

If you want to avoid "processed foods" that's certainly fine.

But in defining "processed" you will run into great difficulty.

Remember--that natural spinach is --to one degree or another "processed."

I would prefer that we have good accurate labeling and that we make our own informed decisions.

It is good to have the debate.

[JohnL]

If the recommendation were adopted, packaged-food companies would have to adhere to limits on allowable sodium levels for various categories of food, and speed up the search for an alternative to salt as a preservative and flavor enhancer.

[...]

Part of the problem is that salt is an easy and cheap way to give processed foods an appealing taste. The manipulation of ingredients that occurs during manufacturing can diminish food flavors, requiring flavor to be added back in. Gary K. Beauchamp, director of the Monell Chemical Senses Center, a research center in Philadelphia, says that salt also functions as a preservative, gives texture to food and helps hide unpleasant tastes that are sometimes created during processing.

[...]

In 2003, ConAgra says, it abandoned a version of its Healthy Choice Chicken Noodle soup that had 360 milligrams of sodium per serving because sales were dismal. Similarly, in 2001 General Mills introduced three varieties of Hamburger Helper that had 25 percent less sodium, only to withdraw the products from shelves less than a year later.

There's an underlying tradeoff here. Salt makes craptastic food taste good. If we persist on eating craptastic food and trying to making taste good, we require lots of salt. The solution is too obvious to mention.

Maybe the processed food should move towards products with lots of spices? Maybe these would provide enough taste to allow acceptably low levels of salt...

←

What's missing here is the inclusion in the debate of the amount of salt chefs use in most restaurants. (not to mention fats like butter).

Also--I salt fresh tomatoes and corn (certainly not "craptastic" stuff) rather heavily--salt makes many things taste sweeter!!!!

also

I consider salumi/ sausages to be "processed" foods.

Should we regulate finishing salts?

The FDA is starting to resemble the ministry of silly walks!

I say let's just have good labeling and moderation!!!

[scubadoo97]

The answer is education. The AMA would do better to educate the public than try to regulate foods. People make choices often bad but I really would rather the government stay out of my way when it comes to personal choices. Sure I think there is way too much sodium in processed foods but with the proper education on what is a safe daily limit I can see if those chips are outside the safety limit for me. Same with saturated fats, alcohol and tobacco. I think we all know they are not good for you and will not extend you life but it should be up to the individual to decide.

[robb]

The 12 people in the US who still aren't aware that many in the medical profession believe that too much salt is bad for us are the same 12 people who aren't aware that cigarettes have harmful effects. I’m definitely not in favor of regulating to make the least informed among us safer. I take a libertarian view on this topic - if people want to eat lots of salt, let them. Bring on the un-pasteurized dairy products while were at it! I’ll make my own choices about the risks I’m willing to take.

[FoodMan]

Too much of anything is bad for us, but please do not equate tobacco with salt. No one had died from second hand high blood pressure or got got an asthma attack if the person next to them was eating a double bacon cheesburger.

[Anna N]

The answer is education. 

. . .

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The problem with thinking that education is the answer is flawed. Most studies I have seen indicate that the major problem with poor eating habits relates to those with low incomes (NOT ALL, I said most!) and low income, in general, correlates with low educational achievement. So all the knowledge which will allow educated people to make sensible choices denies the option of choice to those who need it most. PLEASE do not misunderstand me - lots of educated, high income people make unhealthy choices too, but they are CHOICES. (And I am NOT saying that all low income people are uneducated.)

I don't think any food should be banned and I am not at all sure that salt is the devil that some portray it as - to some people with other health problems for sure, but not to every one.

Edited to try and get my verbs right.

Edited September 18, 2006 by Anna N (log)

[robb]

Too much of anything is bad for us, but please do not equate tobacco with salt. No one had died from second hand high blood pressure or got got an asthma attack if the person next to them was eating a double bacon cheesburger.

←

Sorry if you misunderstood. I made no attempt to equate tobacco with salt. I used the example to point out that people who are aware of health problems often ignore it consciously. Perhaps tobacco is a bad example because it affects others beyond the smoker. I could easily choose diets high in fat as the example. Given the press that the effects on fat can have on health in the last 15--20 years, I can't imagine there are many people who have not been made aware of the risks of a high fat diet. Yet people continue to choose to consume diets high in fat. I still say, let them if that's what they want.

[hazardnc]

I stumbled on this thread today and found it rather timely. Two weeks ago, my father-in-law had a mild stroke. The result of his MRI showed that stroke was one of several that he has suffered (unknowingly) for some time. At the time of his most recent, his blood pressure was 200/100. My FIL has been on two forms of high blood pressure meds for years, but he has perfect cholesterol.

The doctor told the FIL to go salt-free. This was not just eliminating the salt-shaker from the table, but eliminating all processed foods and foods naturally high in salt. Within 10 days, his blood pressure was down to 120/70 and both he and my MIL had lost 10 lbs. He claims his enlarged prostate has improved as well.

My FIL is the classic snacker. His favorite foods are "4 corner Nabs," the peanut butter-cheese crackers, chips and salsa and Vienna sausages. Luckily for him, his precious Moon Pies are sodium free! And to be honest, the MIL is very heavy handed with the salt shaker when she cooks. My FIL's junk food habit got the best of him.

The fact is there is a lot of sodium added to processed foods and we have become desensitized to salt to some degree. My husband used to salt his bologna sandwiches for crying out loud! That's like salting a bag of potato chips IMO. I have managed to retrain his taste buds, but my son is now a salt junkie.

This is a long was of going about agreeing that too much of anything is not good for us, but I do think it is important that Americans become conscious of the amount of salt they are consuming and do what they can to keep that to a reasonable level. If the AMA or other group wants to push the government to do more to warn people, I don't think that's a bad thing.

[Mallet]

I suppose I believe that a government's job should be more than just say "this is bad for you" and then do nothing as we kill ourselves. I'm only drawing a comparison to smoking because it's an easy one to make, but people have known that tobacco was dangerous for a while and only recently has real progress been made, in large part because of aggressive policies on the part of all levels of government (in Canada, greatly increased prices, banning of smoking in public places etc.. etc..).

Obviously salt is different (seeing as we need it to live and all ), but I think some level of regulation combined with more aggressive public awareness would be helpful. Of course, we have to be sure that whatever regulations get put in place actually adress the core issues rather than just create more problem (e.g: replacing all the salt in processed food with some for of salt substitute which 10 years down the road turns out to be much more dangerous).

I haven't examined the issue in depth, but I would guess that some sort of limit of sodium levels in certain processed foods combined with a push to make more food at home (salted bologna notwithstanding) could be effective.

[ghostrider]

I think the AMA is wack to attempt to regulate sodium in food. Stick with clear labeling of sodium content, get the information on the risks out there, and let folks decide for themselves.

I've been on a low-sodium diet for 3.5 years now. The research I did when my doc recommended the diet indicated that maybe 1/5 of folks with high blood pressure have it because their systems are salt-sensitive. There is no simple test for the sensitivity so. to be safe, physicians routinely recommend the low-sodium diet for anyone with cardiac or hypertension issues. It's not a bad idea, it won't hurt you, and sometimes, as with hazardnc's FIL, it works wonders.

I see nothing in the Times article that indicates that the AMA has any new evidence indicating that more of the populace is at risk. Given that, I think they're just throwing their weight around, as some organizations are wont to do in order to justify their existence.

[doctorandchef]

I stumbled on this thread today and found it rather timely.  Two weeks ago, my father-in-law had a mild stroke.  The result of his MRI showed that stroke was one of several that he has suffered (unknowingly) for some time.  At the time of his most recent, his blood pressure was 200/100.  My FIL has been on two forms of high blood pressure meds for years, but he has perfect cholesterol.

The doctor told the FIL to go salt-free.  This was not just eliminating the salt-shaker from the table, but eliminating all processed foods and foods naturally high in salt.  Within 10 days, his blood pressure was down to 120/70 and both he and my MIL had lost 10 lbs.  He claims his enlarged prostate has improved as well.

...This is a long was of going about agreeing that too much of anything is not good for us, but I do think it is important that Americans become conscious of the amount of salt they are consuming and do what they can to keep that to a reasonable level.  If the AMA or other group wants to push the government to do more to warn people, I don't think that's a bad thing.

←

Just as point of information, blood pressure usually is high acutely at the time of stroke and may not reflect a patient's usual blood pressure before the stroke. It is doubtful that just by reducing salt intake alone that one can reduce the BP from 200/100 to 120/70.

Salt by itself is not harmful, TOO MUCH salt is not so good FOR SELECTED PATIENTS. Speak to you physician about your individual salt-restriction requirements and your blood pressure.

[markk]

Too much of anything is bad for us, but please do not equate tobacco with salt. No one had died from second hand high blood pressure or got got an asthma attack if the person next to them was eating a double bacon cheesburger.

←

Well... the case is made by people struggling to deal with the high cost of medical care, hospitalization costs, and health insurance, that all the people who eat the double bacon cheeseburgers (with extra salt on their fries) and then at some point have heart attacks and are stacked up in line at the cath labs in the hospital waiting for angioplasty, are driving up the cost of medical care in one way or another.

Don't get me wrong - I'm not really in favor of legistlating what we can eat and can't, but I do realize that for most of the population, healty choices are just not available in the supermarkets, and I see that in most families where both parents work, and limited time is available for shopping and cooking for the family, it's sometimes necessary to make your food purchases from what's available as you fly down the supermarket aisles - where, in my opinion, almost all of the processed foods are deadly bad for you. If you're not cooking from scratch, I don't see how you could avoid unhealthy levels of sodium (and other things) in the foods offered for sale to you.

[scubadoo97]

but I do realize that for most of the population, healty choices are just not available in the supermarkets,

Healthy choices are abundant in the supermarket, but the key word was choices. Let's face it, people make bad choices often. Why is that?? Do we really need the government passing laws that ban items to protect us from ourselves? We are moving so far away from personal accountability in this world.

[dividend]

I'm not really in favor of legistlating what we can eat and can't, but I do realize that for most of the population, healty choices are just not available in the supermarkets, and I see that in most families where both parents work, and limited time is available for shopping and cooking for the family, it's sometimes necessary to make your food purchases from what's available as you fly down the supermarket aisles - where, in my opinion, almost all of the processed foods are deadly bad for you.  If you're not cooking from scratch, I don't see how you could avoid unhealthy levels of sodium (and other things) in the foods offered for sale to you.

←

Seeing this attitude so cavelierly tossed off irks me to no end. Do most supermarkets not have produce sections? Or sell raw ingredients? If people aren't cooking from scratch, it's not because they don't have the time/access. It's because they're not making it a priority. Let's lay the responsibility for making good food decisions where it belongs (squarely on individiuals), and not offload it onto regulations that restrict choices for the rest of us, ok?

[Jaymes]

I'm not really in favor of legistlating what we can eat and can't, but I do realize that for most of the population, healty choices are just not available in the supermarkets, and I see that in most families where both parents work, and limited time is available for shopping and cooking for the family, it's sometimes necessary to make your food purchases from what's available as you fly down the supermarket aisles - where, in my opinion, almost all of the processed foods are deadly bad for you.  If you're not cooking from scratch, I don't see how you could avoid unhealthy levels of sodium (and other things) in the foods offered for sale to you.

Seeing this attitude so cavelierly tossed off irks me to no end. Do most supermarkets not have produce sections? Or sell raw ingredients? If people aren't cooking from scratch, it's not because they don't have the time/access. It's because they're not making it a priority. Let's lay the responsibility for making good food decisions where it belongs (squarely on individiuals), and not offload it onto regulations that restrict choices for the rest of us, ok?

Not to mention that, in addition to having plenty of fresh ingredients in the produce section, as well as bags of rice, beans, pasta and many other items that have no added salt, there are many, many cans of processed food clearly labeled "LOW SALT."

Jeez. Another government regulation. With more government rules and restrictions. Overseen by more government employees. That receive more government salaries, benefits and pensions. Paid for with more government money, which, since surprise surprise the government doesn't HAVE any money of its own, means more of MY money.

Yep. Just exactly what we need.

Edited September 29, 2006 by Jaymes (log)

[Jaymes]

You know, I've been thinking about this thread and have a little more to say on the subject.

It just so happens that for the last four years, I've been doing almost all of the cooking for my elderly parents, both of whom are on salt-restricted diets.

I have had absolutely NO TROUBLE WHATSOEVER navigating the supermarket aisles in search of low-salt items. I prefer selecting and preparing fresh items, but for those that don't care to (for whatever reason), there are entire low-salt sections in the grocery stores where I shop. And in addition to that, scattered throughout the stores, in almost every area, there are low-salt versions of the product line. There are low-salt canned soups, vegetables, juices, frozen dinners, catsup, mustard, mayonnaise and other sauces, salad dressings, crackers - you name it, a low-salt version exists. There are even 'low-salt' salts!

It really frosts me that some people think that it's the government's business to continue to MANDATE policies that save us from ourselves, in virtually every aspect of our lives, including salt consumption.

Perhaps it's time for the government to require (and of course oversee) bucket manufacturers to clearly label on the sides of their product: "CAUTION! FILLING THIS BUCKET WITH WATER AND STICKING YOUR HEAD INTO IT MAY BE HAZARDOUS FOR YOUR HEALTH."

Edited September 29, 2006 by Jaymes (log)

[Kouign Aman]

Perhaps it's time for the government to require (and of course oversee) bucket manufacturers to clearly label on the sides of their product:  "CAUTION! FILLING THIS BUCKET WITH WATER AND STICKING YOUR HEAD INTO IT MAY BE HAZARDOUS FOR YOUR HEALTH."

←

Not that I think they should, but they already do on the large 5 gallon plastic buckets, complete with a silhouette of small child with head in bucket containing water.

And remember "This bag is not a toy" and "Silica gel - do not eat".

I was hoping this thread was an epic battle between the advocates of sea salt, kosher salt, red salt, smoked salt etc.

Doesnt matter what the gov does re salt, we'll just end up adding it table side (soy sauce, anyone?)

[Jaymes]

Perhaps it's time for the government to require (and of course oversee) bucket manufacturers to clearly label on the sides of their product:  "CAUTION! FILLING THIS BUCKET WITH WATER AND STICKING YOUR HEAD INTO IT MAY BE HAZARDOUS FOR YOUR HEALTH."

Not that I think they should, but they already do on the large 5 gallon plastic buckets, complete with a silhouette of small child with head in bucket containing water.

Perhaps it's time to mandate that all buckets should contain several holes in order to be certain that they are safe.

And I, too, first looked into this thread hoping to see a comparison among the various trendy kinds of salts. Would be far more enlightening.

[Kouign Aman]

"There's a hole in my bucket, dear Jaymes, dear Jaymes, there's a hole in my bucket, dear Jaymes, a hole!"

"With what shall I mend it, Dear Jaymes??"

"with silica gel, dear Kouign Aman...."

All that work, just to pull a bucket of sea water up for seasoning!