Salt. It gives food great flavor and is also used as a preservative. And while there’s nothing better than a salty, crunchy chip and dip for the tailgate or the occasional fast-food burger, most of us consume too much salt on a regular basis. That’s why the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) is working to reduce the amount of salt in the American food supply.

The FDA’s draft of its voluntary initiative to reduce the amount of sodium—a major component of salt—in the U.S. food supply, updated August 15, 2024, outlines goals for manufacturers of processed, packaged and prepared foods, including restaurants..

According to the FDA, 90% of Americans consume more sodium than the recommended amount of 2,300 milligrams per day.Currently, the average intake is 3,400 mg per day, and the majority of that – over 70% – comes from processed, packaged and prepared foods, not from the salt shaker at home.

Why is sodium being targeted? Sodium is linked to high blood pressure, and high blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in both men and women. However, many risk factors for heart disease are controllable – including the amount of sodium you consume.

But that’s the point. Sodium is also a necessary mineral that acts as an electrolyte, so we need a small amount of it. But too much of it is unnecessary and can have undesirable consequences, including water retention and high blood pressure.

The FDA is essentially asking food manufacturers and restaurants to redesign their recipes to contain less sodium. The FDA is asking them to do this gradually over the next three years so that consumers get used to lower sodium levels and manufacturers have time to adjust their recipes. According to the FDA, people usually don’t notice a small reduction in sodium, so consumers’ taste buds will adjust more easily if the reductions are made in small increments over a longer period of time.

The current initiative is Phase II of a larger initiative that began with Phase I and was released in October 2021. Phase II includes 3-year sodium reduction targets for 163 food categories. If met, the goals of Phase I and II will result in about a 20% reduction in sodium intake in the American food supply. This will reduce the average American’s sodium intake to about 2,750 mg per day – still more than the recommended amount, but a major improvement that could lead to major public health benefits.

While Phase I only began in 2021, the comprehensive initiative began in 2018, when the FDA required manufacturers to print specific nutritional information on their labels, including sodium content and clearly listing it in the ingredient list. They also specified what products must and must not contain in order to claim “healthy” on their labels – for example, limiting sodium, added sugar and saturated fat.

What you can do now to reduce your sodium intake

You don’t have to wait for companies to change their formulas or restaurants to update their recipes to reduce your own sodium intake. You can make choices now that include lower sodium options. For example, if you like canned soups, vegetables and beans, choose reduced- or no-sodium options—and rinse canned vegetables and beans under running water before eating them or adding them to recipes. You can make canned soups more filling by adding fresh vegetables to them. By increasing the volume of soup in this way, you get less sodium for the same serving size—and increase your vegetable intake.

Read labels if you don’t already. Sodium is insidious and can be found in foods you might be surprised by – like yogurt, salad dressing and bread.

If you usually reach for pre-packaged energy bars, drinks or chips as snacks, consider whole foods. A handful of salt-free nuts and a piece of fruit or reduced-salt nut butter with carrots and celery is enough to get you through to your next meal – without unnecessary extra salt and other ingredients like sugar. Or try making your own energy balls and smoothies so you know exactly what’s in them.

If you’re one of the millions of Americans who, according to the FDA, get about a third of their calories from eating out, you may want to consider eating at home more often.. You can better control the sodium content of your food and potentially save a dollar or two. We have plenty of lower sodium meal plans and recipes to help you get started.

If time is an issue with meal prep and cooking, we have solutions for that too. Try one of our low-sodium dinner recipes tonight that take just 30 minutes to prepare. Prepared meals can save time in the kitchen, but they also need to be monitored for sodium content. Roast chicken, for example, is a great time saver, but can be high in sodium because it’s usually brined or has a salt solution added. If you eat roast chicken regularly, consider switching it up with our best poached chicken, which is perfect for recipes that call for shredded chicken and is super easy and quick to make.

Getting creative with herbs and spices can also help your taste buds adjust more quickly to less salt in recipes. And when used regularly, they also have health benefits, such as adding antioxidants to your dishes.

The conclusion

The FDA has released a draft of Phase II of an initiative to reduce sodium in the U.S. food supply. The initiative is voluntary, meaning companies are not forced to comply. The overall goal of Phases I and II of the initiative is to reduce the amount of sodium Americans consume by 20%, gradually over the next three years.

There are a few things you can do now to reduce your sodium intake, including eating less highly processed, packaged and restaurant foods, reading labels, choosing lower-sodium options and cooking at home. If that’s too much for you, choose one of these areas to start with and add more over time.