PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO PREPACKAGED MEAL LABLES ...

 
Today, when you purchase some of those prepackaged meals, take a closer look at the nutrition value of the meal. Some of those meals have a sodium content as high as 2000mg that's more than you need in a day.

Follow this chart when making a decision whether to purchase ready-made meals for your family or NOT ...

Recommended adequate sodium intake:

- 1,000 mg for children age one to three.

- 1,200 mg for children age four to eight.

- 1,500 mg for people age nine to 50.

- 1,300 mg for adults age 51 to 70.

- 1,200 mg for seniors over 70.

Consuming more than 2,300 mg or a teaspoon of salt per day increases your risk of health problems. However, most adults consume far more than the recommended amount of sodium - a little more than 3,000 milligrams on average. Take immediate action to reduce your sodium intake. Here are some suggestions ...

- Set sodium -reduction targets for key food categories.

- Require high-sodium warning labels where necessary.

- Monitor sodium levels in foods and conduct regular surveys of dietary sodium intake.

Your body needs only 500 mg of sodium per day to function under normal circumstances.Unless you are an endurance athlete who will need more and should consume fluids that contain sodium if they are exercising for more than two hours ...

Besides pushing away the salt shaker, you can take steps such as:

- Eating more fresh fruits and vegetables.

- Choosing fresh, frozen or canned food items without added salts.

- Sticking to unsalted nuts and avoiding salty snacks like chips and pretzels.

- Opting for fat-free or low-fat milk, low-sodium, low-fat cheeses and low-fat yogurt.

- Selecting unsalted, fat-free broths, bouillons or soups.

- Seasoning your foods with herbs and spices instead of salt.

So please if you continue to purchase food items that are ready-made, PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE FOOD LABELS! They are there for you HEALTH! ...