SALT

This is a statement that was passed along through our office “Wellness Update.”  I found it quite interesting and helpful so I’ll be passing it along in parts.  Some of the info I’ll be sharing really amazed me. 

 

The average American takes in about 3,400 milligrams of sodium every day.  With the ever expanding portion sizes, salty foods are taking the place of fruits and vegetables, which are rich in potassium.  Studies show that a high sodium, low potassium diet is linked to high blood pressure, stroke, osteoporosis and exercise induced asthma.

 

Part 1 – Salt:

 

Saltiest Drive-Thru Meal:  Burger King Cheeseburger with French Fries (small)

  1,360 milligrams sodium

  680 calories

  33 g fat (10.5 g saturated, 0.5 g trans)

 

Sodium Equivalent – 5 Big Grab Bags of Lays Potato Chips

The dearth of healthy, well-balanced meal options for kids at chain restaurants is a serious issue in this country.  The cheeseburger, with 340 calories and 7 grams of saturated fat, gets trounced by the tenders, while the small French fries double the meal’s caloric load without adding any real nutrition to the equation.

 

Choose chicken nuggets instead:

At just 63 calories a piece, they rank among the best nuggets/tenders/fingers in the fast food world.  Add to that a genius product that is Apple Fries and you have a pretty sound kid’s meal.