Our Thoughts on Sodium Consumption

In response to the recent report from CDC on sodium consumption in the U.S., the Grain Foods Foundation would like to stress it supports the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommendation to decrease dietary sodium intake. We also recognize the importance of sodium reduction in the food supply and the efforts by consumers to reduce their daily sodium intake. However, the approach to sodium reduction efforts must incorporate both industry and individual responsibility.

Sodium is an essential micronutrient. It is required for basic survival and must be included in appropriate amounts as part of a healthy diet. Some foods, such as bread, need sodium to be made properly. When baking bread, salt is crucial for enhancing flavor, preventing excess yeast action and inhibiting acid-producing bacteria.

The grains industry has already been proactive in reducing sodium; the USDA confirms the average sodium content in bread has dropped from 254 mg to 180 mg per slice since 1963. Additionally, The American Bakers Association’s own industry survey benchmarking sodium in baked goods found reduction trends of six percent for bread items, and four percent in cakes and cookies in the past 18 months. “In order to balance the importance of taste with public health concerns, we support an approach grounded in sound science with a gradual reduction of sodium in the food supply. Given taste is a leading factor in food selection, products must taste good and be nutritious,” according to Lee Sanders, senior vice president, government relations & public affairs, American Bakers Association. “In fact, there have been some instances when bakers have reformulated products to reduce sodium that were rejected by consumers in the marketplace,” noted Ms. Sanders.

The Institute of Medicine’s Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) for sodium is <2300 mg/day for most healthy adults and MyPlate’s food guidance is constructed to meet overall nutrient needs for the general population. Most Americans, however, are not following these recommendations and, according to the CDC report, have an average sodium intake of 3,266 mg/day. As stated by nutrition and food science expert, Julie Miller Jones, PhD, “excessive sodium in the American diet is not due to any one food or food group. Rather, it correlates with too many calories, large portions and a failure to follow MyPlate.”  Furthermore, given the grains group represents such a significant portion of the plate, it is not unreasonable that bread would provide approximately seven percent of daily sodium.

In light of this, we encourage individuals to use the Nutrition Facts Panel on food packages and, if able, work with a health professional to determine how much sodium is appropriate, based on gender, race and health status.