Tag: salt/sodium
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New Studies Focus on Sodium and Calorie Content of Restaurant and Processed Foods
Three recent studies published in JAMA Internal Medicine have analyzed the nutritional content of restaurant and processed foods, raising questions about consumer, industry and government efforts to curb calorie, sodium and fat consumption. Authored by Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) Executive Director Michael Jacobson and colleagues at George Washington University and Northwestern…
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IOM Report on Salt Recommendations Draws Criticism
The Institute of Medicine (IOM) recently issued a report assessing the scientific evidence behind government recommendations that adults in the general population reduce dietary sodium intake to less than 2,300 milligrams per day and that certain groups of people at a greater risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) reduce their salt consumption to 1,500 mg…
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Salt Intake Allegedly Linked to 2.3 Million Heart-Related Deaths Annually
An abstract recently presented at the American Heart Association’s (AHA) Epidemiology and Prevention and Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism 2013 Scientific Sessions reportedly linked high salt intake to 2.3 million heart-related deaths per year worldwide. According to a March 21, 2013, AHA press release, researchers analyzed data on adult sodium intake from 247 surveys conducted…
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Salt Consumption Allegedly Linked to Autoimmune Disorders
Two groups of researchers have allegedly provided evidence that sodium induces the differentiation of CD4 T cells responsible for immune responses, thereby raising concerns about the role of salt intake in autoimmune disorders. Both published in Nature, the two studies in question suggested that “a high-salt diet can enhance the differentiation of a class of immune…
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California Targets Sale of “Plumped” Poultry in State Buildings
California Assembly Member Ian Calderon (D-Whittier) has introduced a bill (A.B. 682) that “would prohibit chicken or turkey sold in any state-owned or state-leased building at food concessions and cafeterias from being ‘plumped’ in any way.” The legislation defines “plumped” poultry as any such product injected with “saltwater, chicken stock, seaweed extract, or some combination…
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AHA Calls for Renewed Effort to Reduce Sodium Consumption
The American Heart Association (AHA) has issued a presidential advisory calling for renewed efforts to reduce sodium consumption among Americans. Published ahead of print in AHA’s Circulation, the advisory summarizes the latest evidence backing its recommendation that consumers reduce their sodium intake to less than 1,500 milligrams per day. To this end, the new report…
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Battle over “Addictive” Flamin’ Hot Cheetos® Heats Up
School districts in California, New Mexico and Illinois have reportedly publicized their intention to ban “Flamin’ Hot” Cheetos® snacks from campus vending machines and lunches over concerns about the product’s nutritional content. According to media reports, the schools in question have described the snack item as “hyperpalatable” with each bag containing 26 grams of fat…
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NEJM Focuses on Studies Examining Effects of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages
The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) has published a series of studies and commentary on the purported health effects of consuming sugar-sweetened beverages. The American Beverage Association issued a statement contending that studies focusing “solely on sugar-sweetened beverages” as an alleged cause of obesity “or any single source of calories, do nothing meaningful to…