By MIKE STOBBE

| The Associated Press

Atlanta • Bread and rolls are the No. 1 source of salt in the American diet, accounting for more than twice as much sodium as salty junk food like potato chips.

That surprising finding comes in a government report released recently that includes a list of the top 10 sources of sodium.

Photos

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Related Stories

• Burn, baby, burn, to lose those last few pounds
  Published February 17, 2012

	Join the Discussion
	Post a Comment

"Potato chips, pretzels and popcorn — which we think of as the saltiest foods in our diet — are only No. 10," said Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Thomas Frieden.

Breads and rolls aren’t really saltier than many of the other foods, but people tend to eat a lot of them, said Mary Cogswell, a CDC senior scientist who co-wrote the report.

Salt is the main source of sodium for most people, and sodium increases the risk of high blood pressure, a major cause of heart disease and stroke. Health officials say most Americans get too much salt, mostly from processed and restaurant foods — not added from the salt shaker. Experts have known that the sodium in breads and certain other foods can add up, but even CDC officials were amazed that just 10 foods are responsible for 44 percent of the sodium consumed.

According to the CDC, breads and rolls account for about 7 percent of the salt that the average American eats in a day. Next on the list: cold cuts and cured meats; pizza; fresh and processed poultry; soups; fast-food hamburgers and sandwiches; and cheese.

Rounding out the list — accounting for about 3 percent each — are spaghetti and other pasta dishes; meatloaf and other meat dishes; and snacks like potato chips and pretzels.

Dietary guidelines recommend no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium a day, equal to about a teaspoon of salt. Certain people, such as those with high blood pressure, should eat less. But average sodium consumption in the U.S. is around 3,300 milligrams, the CDC study found. Only 1 in 10 Americans meet the teaspoon guideline.

The amount of sodium in food types can vary. For example, a slice of white bread can have between 80 and 230 milligrams of sodium.

The new CDC report is based on surveys of more than 7,200 people in 2007 and 2008, including nearly 3,000 children. Salt reduction has become a recent focus of public health campaigns; some major food makers have taken steps to gradually reduce sodium in their products.