Is a plant-based diet sufficient to reach sodium goals?
Salt of the Earth: Sodium and Plant-Based Diets
4.7/5 - (80 votes)
Below is an approximation of this video’s audio content. To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video.
Reduction of salt consumption by just 15% could save the lives of millions. If we could cut our salt intake by a half teaspoon a day, which is achievable by avoiding salty foods, and not adding salt to our food, we might prevent 22% of stroke deaths, and 16% of fatal heart attacks—potentially more than if we were able to successfully treat people with blood pressure pills. An intervention in our kitchens that may be more powerful than interventions in our pharmacies. One little dietary tweak could help more than billions of dollars worth of drugs.
What would that mean in the U.S.? Tens of thousands of lives saved every year. This simple step “could be as beneficial” on a public health scale “as interventions aimed at smoking cessation, weight reduction,” and giving people blood pressure and cholesterol-lowering medications. And, that’s not even getting people down to target.
Here’s the level everyone should get under, exceeded by most Americans over the age of three. And, here’s the recommended upper limit of salt intake for African-Americans, those with hypertension, and everyone over the age of 40. Processed foods have so much salt added that even if we avoid the saltiest foods, and don’t add our own salt, that would just get us down to here—but still, that could save up to nearly 100,000 American lives every year.
So: “Given that approximately 75% of dietary salt comes from processed foods, the individual approach is [described as] impractical.” We have to get food companies to stop killing so many people. And, the good news is “several U.S. manufacturers are reducing the salt content” of their foods, “but other manufacturers are increasing the salt levels in their products. For example, the addition of salt to poultry, meats, and fish appears to be occurring on a massive scale.”
The #1 source of sodium for kids and teens is pizza. For adults over 51, it’s bread. But, between the ages of 20 and 50, the greatest contribution of sodium to the diet is not canned soups, pretzels, or potato chips, but chicken—because of all the salt, and other additives, that are injected into the meat.
This is one of the reasons, in general, “animal foods contain higher amounts of sodium than plant foods.” Given the sources of sodium, complying with the recommendations for salt reduction “will require large deviations from current eating behaviors.” We’re talking a sharp increase in vegetables, fruit, beans, whole grains, and lower intake of meats and refined grain products. As might be expected, reducing the amount of sodium would necessitate a “precipitous drop” in meat consumption for men and women of all ages. You can see why there’s so much industry pressure to confuse people about sodium.
How do vegetarians do? Non-vegetarians get nearly 3,500 milligrams of sodium a day on average, the equivalent of about a teaspoon and a half of table salt. Now, the U.S. Dietary guidelines recommend getting under 2,300 a day, and the American Heart Association says, no way, get under just 1,500 a day. Vegetarians did better, but still double the American Heart Association limit.
In Europe, it looks like vegetarians do better, slipping under the 2,300 cut-off, but it appears the only dietary group that nails the American Heart Association recommendation are those eating the most plant-based of diets.
Please consider volunteering to help out on the site.
- Law MR, Frost CD, Wald NJ. By how much does dietary salt reduction lower blood pressure? III--Analysis of data from trials of salt reduction. BMJ. 1991 Apr 6;302(6780):819-24.
- Appel LJ, Anderson CA. Compelling evidence for public health action to reduce salt intake. N Engl J Med. 2010 Feb 18;362(7):650-2.
- Bibbins-Domingo K, Chertow GM, Coxson PG, Moran A, Lightwood JM, Pletcher MJ, Goldman L. Projected effect of dietary salt reductions on future cardiovascular disease. N Engl J Med. 2010 Feb 18;362(7):590-9.
- Strazzullo P, D'Elia L, Cairella G, Scalfi L, Schiano di Cola M. Recommending salt intake reduction to the hypertensive patient: more than just lip service. High Blood Press Cardiovasc Prev. 2012 Jun 1;19(2):59-64.
- Maillot M, Drewnowski A. A conflict between nutritionally adequate diets and meeting the 2010 dietary guidelines for sodium. Appendix C. Am J Prev Med. 2012 Feb;42(2):174-9.
- Drewnowski A, Rehm CD. Sodium intakes of US children and adults from foods and beverages by location of origin and by specific food source. Nutrients. 2013 May 28;5(6):1840-55.
- Beaglehole R, Bonita R, Horton R, Adams C, Alleyne G, Asaria P, Baugh V, Bekedam H, Billo N, Casswell S, Cecchini M, Colagiuri R, Colagiuri S, Collins T, Ebrahim S, Engelgau M, Galea G, Gaziano T, Geneau R, Haines A, Hospedales J, Jha P, Keeling A, Leeder S, Lincoln P, McKee M, Mackay J, Magnusson R, Moodie R, Mwatsama M, Nishtar S, Norrving B, Patterson D, Piot P, Ralston J, Rani M, Reddy KS, Sassi F, Sheron N, Stuckler D, Suh I, Torode J, Varghese C, Watt J; Lancet NCD Action Group; NCD Alliance. Priority actions for the non-communicable disease crisis. Lancet. 2011 Apr 23;377(9775):1438-47.
- Farmer B, Larson BT, Fulgoni VL 3rd, Rainville AJ, Liepa GU. A vegetarian dietary pattern as a nutrient-dense approach to weight management: an analysis of the national health and nutrition examination survey 1999-2004. J Am Diet Assoc. 2011 Jun;111(6):819-27.
- Clarys P, Deliens T, Huybrechts I, Deriemaeker P, Vanaelst B, De Keyzer W, Hebbelinck M, Mullie P. Comparison of nutritional quality of the vegan, vegetarian, semi-vegetarian, pesco-vegetarian and omnivorous diet. Nutrients. 2014 Mar 24;6(3):1318-32.
Image credit: Birte via Pixabay. Image has been modified.
Below is an approximation of this video’s audio content. To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video.
Reduction of salt consumption by just 15% could save the lives of millions. If we could cut our salt intake by a half teaspoon a day, which is achievable by avoiding salty foods, and not adding salt to our food, we might prevent 22% of stroke deaths, and 16% of fatal heart attacks—potentially more than if we were able to successfully treat people with blood pressure pills. An intervention in our kitchens that may be more powerful than interventions in our pharmacies. One little dietary tweak could help more than billions of dollars worth of drugs.
What would that mean in the U.S.? Tens of thousands of lives saved every year. This simple step “could be as beneficial” on a public health scale “as interventions aimed at smoking cessation, weight reduction,” and giving people blood pressure and cholesterol-lowering medications. And, that’s not even getting people down to target.
Here’s the level everyone should get under, exceeded by most Americans over the age of three. And, here’s the recommended upper limit of salt intake for African-Americans, those with hypertension, and everyone over the age of 40. Processed foods have so much salt added that even if we avoid the saltiest foods, and don’t add our own salt, that would just get us down to here—but still, that could save up to nearly 100,000 American lives every year.
So: “Given that approximately 75% of dietary salt comes from processed foods, the individual approach is [described as] impractical.” We have to get food companies to stop killing so many people. And, the good news is “several U.S. manufacturers are reducing the salt content” of their foods, “but other manufacturers are increasing the salt levels in their products. For example, the addition of salt to poultry, meats, and fish appears to be occurring on a massive scale.”
The #1 source of sodium for kids and teens is pizza. For adults over 51, it’s bread. But, between the ages of 20 and 50, the greatest contribution of sodium to the diet is not canned soups, pretzels, or potato chips, but chicken—because of all the salt, and other additives, that are injected into the meat.
This is one of the reasons, in general, “animal foods contain higher amounts of sodium than plant foods.” Given the sources of sodium, complying with the recommendations for salt reduction “will require large deviations from current eating behaviors.” We’re talking a sharp increase in vegetables, fruit, beans, whole grains, and lower intake of meats and refined grain products. As might be expected, reducing the amount of sodium would necessitate a “precipitous drop” in meat consumption for men and women of all ages. You can see why there’s so much industry pressure to confuse people about sodium.
How do vegetarians do? Non-vegetarians get nearly 3,500 milligrams of sodium a day on average, the equivalent of about a teaspoon and a half of table salt. Now, the U.S. Dietary guidelines recommend getting under 2,300 a day, and the American Heart Association says, no way, get under just 1,500 a day. Vegetarians did better, but still double the American Heart Association limit.
In Europe, it looks like vegetarians do better, slipping under the 2,300 cut-off, but it appears the only dietary group that nails the American Heart Association recommendation are those eating the most plant-based of diets.
Please consider volunteering to help out on the site.
- Law MR, Frost CD, Wald NJ. By how much does dietary salt reduction lower blood pressure? III--Analysis of data from trials of salt reduction. BMJ. 1991 Apr 6;302(6780):819-24.
- Appel LJ, Anderson CA. Compelling evidence for public health action to reduce salt intake. N Engl J Med. 2010 Feb 18;362(7):650-2.
- Bibbins-Domingo K, Chertow GM, Coxson PG, Moran A, Lightwood JM, Pletcher MJ, Goldman L. Projected effect of dietary salt reductions on future cardiovascular disease. N Engl J Med. 2010 Feb 18;362(7):590-9.
- Strazzullo P, D'Elia L, Cairella G, Scalfi L, Schiano di Cola M. Recommending salt intake reduction to the hypertensive patient: more than just lip service. High Blood Press Cardiovasc Prev. 2012 Jun 1;19(2):59-64.
- Maillot M, Drewnowski A. A conflict between nutritionally adequate diets and meeting the 2010 dietary guidelines for sodium. Appendix C. Am J Prev Med. 2012 Feb;42(2):174-9.
- Drewnowski A, Rehm CD. Sodium intakes of US children and adults from foods and beverages by location of origin and by specific food source. Nutrients. 2013 May 28;5(6):1840-55.
- Beaglehole R, Bonita R, Horton R, Adams C, Alleyne G, Asaria P, Baugh V, Bekedam H, Billo N, Casswell S, Cecchini M, Colagiuri R, Colagiuri S, Collins T, Ebrahim S, Engelgau M, Galea G, Gaziano T, Geneau R, Haines A, Hospedales J, Jha P, Keeling A, Leeder S, Lincoln P, McKee M, Mackay J, Magnusson R, Moodie R, Mwatsama M, Nishtar S, Norrving B, Patterson D, Piot P, Ralston J, Rani M, Reddy KS, Sassi F, Sheron N, Stuckler D, Suh I, Torode J, Varghese C, Watt J; Lancet NCD Action Group; NCD Alliance. Priority actions for the non-communicable disease crisis. Lancet. 2011 Apr 23;377(9775):1438-47.
- Farmer B, Larson BT, Fulgoni VL 3rd, Rainville AJ, Liepa GU. A vegetarian dietary pattern as a nutrient-dense approach to weight management: an analysis of the national health and nutrition examination survey 1999-2004. J Am Diet Assoc. 2011 Jun;111(6):819-27.
- Clarys P, Deliens T, Huybrechts I, Deriemaeker P, Vanaelst B, De Keyzer W, Hebbelinck M, Mullie P. Comparison of nutritional quality of the vegan, vegetarian, semi-vegetarian, pesco-vegetarian and omnivorous diet. Nutrients. 2014 Mar 24;6(3):1318-32.
Image credit: Birte via Pixabay. Image has been modified.
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Title
Salt of the Earth: Sodium and Plant-Based Diets
LicenseCreative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)
Content URLDoctor's Note
This video is part of my extended series on sodium, which includes:
- High Blood Pressure May Be a Choice
- Sprinkling Doubt: Taking Sodium Skeptics with a Pinch of Salt
- The Evidence That Salt Raises Blood Pressure
- Sodium Skeptics Try to Shake Up the Salt Debate
- Shaking the Salt Habit
- Sodium and Arterial Function: A-Salting Our Endothelium
If you’re already cutting out processed foods and still not reaching your blood pressure goals, see:
- Wakame Seaweed Salad May Lower Blood Pressure
- Hibiscus Tea vs. Plant-Based Diets for Hypertension
- Flaxseeds for Hypertension
- How to Prevent High Blood Pressure with Diet
- How to Treat High Blood Pressure with Diet
- How Not to Die from High Blood Pressure
- Oxygenating Blood with Nitrate-Rich Vegetables
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