We’ve talked about how there’s hidden sodium in foods you wouldn’t think to check. Now a new report from the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) finds mega amounts of salt in foods you might think of as salty… but probably not quite this bad.
Dietary guidelines recommend healthy adults get no more than 2,300 mg of sodium a day. To control high blood pressure, you should aim for no more than 1,500 mg.
But when CSPI researchers looked at 17 restaurant chains, they found 85 out of 102 meals had more than a day’s worth of sodium. Some had more than four days’ worth, including these:
- Red Lobster Admirals’ Feast with Caesar Salad, Creamy Lobster Topped Mashed Potato, Cheddar Bay Biscuit, and a Lemonade: 7,106 mg
- Chili’s Buffalo Chicken Fajitas (with tortillas and condiments) and a Dr Pepper: 6,916 mg
- Chili’s Honey-Chipotle Ribs with Mashed Potatoes with Gravy, Seasonal Vegetables, and a Dr Pepper: 6,440 mg
- Olive Garden Tour of Italy (lasagna) with a Breadstick, Garden Fresh Salad with House Dressing, and a Coca-Cola: 6,176 mg
- Olive Garden Chicken Parmigiana with a Breadstick, Garden Fresh Salad with House Dressing, and Raspberry Lemonade: 5,735 mg
And what about children’s meals at chain restaurants?
They’re over the top, as well. The Institute of Medicine says children aged 4-8 should have no more than 1,200 mg of sodium per day. These meals have one or two days’ worth of sodium:
- Red Lobster Chicken Fingers, Biscuit, Fries, Raspberry Lemonade: 2,430 mg
- Chili’s Country Fried Chicken Crispers with Rice and 1% milk: 2,385 mg
- KFC Popcorn Chicken with Macaroni and Cheese, Teddy Grahams, and 2% milk: 2,005 mg
- Jack in the Box Chicken Strips Grilled, Buffalo Sauce, Fries, and 1 % milk: 1,980 mg
- Olive Garden Chicken Fingers, Fries, and Raspberry Lemonade: 1,835 mg
Remember, a high-sodium diet can increase your risk of high blood pressure and might also raise the risk of asthma, kidney stones, osteoporosis, and stomach cancer.
Anyone out there ever had any of these salt-laden meals?
[Photo Credit: CSPI)
Wow! After I eliminated my salt addiction, it had a bitter taste rather than the salty taste it once had. I found that significant. I think we all have a good sense of health until it gets unlearned.
Red Lobster LOL, even the booths are greasy:-)
These numbers are staggering! I almost can’t believe it…but I do, of course.
I’ve been meaning to look up the RDA for sodium but I was too lazy, so thanks for this.
Now unfortunately all this food talk has made me hun-gray! Rrrrrr!
Dr. J – You had a salt addiction???
Yum Yucky – Sorry to make you hungry.
It just serves to show how much the public needs to be better educated about nutrition and food choices. Parts of New York are now requiring that nutrition info be shown in any chain restaurant and I hope the idea spreads.
My husband & I eat at Red Lobster because it’s the only restaurant close to where we live, but we would never order a meal like that. It’s all about choices! Their fried foods are killers, I call the biscuits “fat bombs”, we order the dressing on the side and use it sparingly. We skip the potato and order broccoli, and most importantly, we only eat half of what’s served and take the rest home for another meal. People just need education about making the right choices.
herblady – Sounds like you really know your stuff – good for you for choosing to make so many healthy choices!