Americans take in roughly 3,400 mg of sodium daily, and More Herbs, Less Salt Day, Sunday, August 29, 2027, offers a tastier fix. The swap has research behind it.
The Date for Less Salt
August 29. The day’s creator was never recorded.
How Salt Became a Health Target
Salt and sodium aren’t the same thing, the FDA points out. Table salt is sodium chloride, and by weight it’s about 40% sodium.
One teaspoon of table salt holds about 2,400 mg of sodium, according to the CDC. The Dietary Guidelines advise adults to stay under 2,300 mg a day.
Most of it never touches a saltshaker. FDA figures show that more than 70% of the sodium in American diets is already in food bought packaged or prepared.
Deli meat sandwiches, soups and pizza top the CDC’s list of adult sources. For children, savory snacks lead, followed by pizza and deli meat sandwiches.
That ranking comes from national survey data. By the American Heart Association’s estimate, most Americans eat about 50% more sodium than the recommended limit.
Labels can help. The FDA’s Daily Value for sodium is less than 2,300 mg, and the percentage on a label shows how much of that one serving uses.
The herbs-and-spices experiment
Researchers led by Cheryl Anderson of the University of California San Diego put herbs to the test. They enrolled 55 adults, more than 60% of them with high blood pressure.
First, everyone ate a low-sodium diet for 4 weeks, with all food provided. Their sodium intake fell from about 3,450 mg to 1,656 mg a day.
Then half joined a 20-week program that taught them to flavor food with herbs and spices instead of salt, aiming for 1,500 mg a day. The rest tried to cut back on their own.
By the end, the herb group was eating about 966 mg less sodium a day than the comparison group. Anderson presented the results at an American Heart Association meeting.
Why Cutting Salt Matters
Too much sodium can raise blood pressure and the risk of heart disease and stroke. Together, those conditions kill more Americans each year than any other cause, the CDC says.
Results can come quickly. In one study the American Heart Association cites, a week on a very low-sodium diet lowered blood pressure in 70% of participants.
The DASH eating plan from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute caps sodium at 2,300 mg. Going down to 1,500 mg lowers blood pressure even further, according to the institute. DASH requires no special foods. It builds meals around produce and whole grains.
Anderson put the problem plainly: “Salt is abundant in the food supply.” The AHA’s advice is to flavor food with herbs and spices instead.
Herb Swaps for August 29
- Season with herbs first: the FDA recommends herbs, spices and no-salt blends in place of table salt.
- Read the label: a serving with 5% of the Daily Value for sodium or less counts as low, and 20% or more is high.
- Rinse canned beans: the FDA suggests rinsing canned beans, tuna and vegetables.
- Rethink the sandwich: deli meat sandwiches top the CDC’s list of adult sodium sources.
- Make your own sauces: packaged sauces and mixes are among the foods the FDA says to limit.
- Ask restaurants for less: request no added salt and sauces on the side.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people in the UC San Diego study had diabetes?
About 18% had diabetes and were overweight.
How much did blood pressure fall in the study the AHA cites?
Systolic pressure dropped by 7 to 8 points.
What does DASH stand for?
Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.
Sources
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration – Sodium in Your Diet
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – About Sodium and Health
- American Heart Association – Sodium and Salt
- Medical News Today – Spices and herbs could help reduce salt intake (2014)
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute – DASH Eating Plan