How much salt is too much?


A panel at a national forum will discuss the connection between a high intake of salt and high blood pressure, and question how much of the ingredient should be in processed foods.


Food and health experts have gathered at the 7th National Forum on Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention to see if there are ways to reduce the amount of salt Americans consume in their diet.


Though federal guidelines suggest people consume approximately 2,300 milligrams of salt a day, the American Medical Association says the typical citizen has two to three times that amount.


How much salt is too much? Too much salt has been shown to lead to conditions such as heart disease and hypertension.


While 10 percent of that amount comes from the salt shaker on the dinner table, about 75 percent comes from processed foods, according to the Department of Agriculture.


Mark Schoeberl, chair of the National Forum, said a collaborative effort is needed to reduce salt in Americans' diets and to "journey toward a heart-healthy and stroke-free society."


Senior citizens interested in improving their general health may want to investigate the salt content in certain foods such as Cheerios and chicken noodle soup, according to a recent article in Time.


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