--- title: CDC and Sodium Recommendations: 90% of Americans Eat Too Much Salt description: Consuming too much sodium can be a risk factor for heart problems, and new federal data shows that Americans are eating a whole lot of salt canonical: https://time.com/3944545/sodium-heart/ author: Alexandra Sifferlin article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-07-02T17:00:31.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:58:41.640Z article:section: Health og:title: 90% of Americans Eat Too Much Salt og:description: Consuming too much sodium can be a risk factor for heart problems, and new federal data shows that Americans are eating a whole lot of salt og:url: https://time.com/3944545/sodium-heart/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2af9691eb2337dae/6988597acd1bbaf3a66fc1cb/saltttt.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 5175 og:image:height: 2911 og:image:alt: 149316485 og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: 90% of Americans Eat Too Much Salt twitter:description: Consuming too much sodium can be a risk factor for heart problems, and new federal data shows that Americans are eating a whole lot of salt twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt2af9691eb2337dae/6988597acd1bbaf3a66fc1cb/saltttt.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # 90% of Americans Eat Too Much Salt > Sponsored content. 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Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=1416218b-7d9c-4d60-944c-2bceb7d64421&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Is Sea Salt Healthier Than Table Salt? [Watch (HLS stream): Is Sea Salt Healthier Than Table Salt?](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/jkmYRgZ8.m3u8) (2:11)  _Published 2015-05-15. Sea salt is an increasingly popular alternative to table salt. But is it really better for you? Our Healthy Skeptic investigates._ by [Alexandra Sifferlin](https://time.com/author/alexandra-sifferlin/) ## Alexandra Sifferlin Jul 2, 2015 5:00 PM UTC  Close up of salt shakers on counter Close up of salt shakers on counter Getty Images by [Alexandra Sifferlin](https://time.com/author/alexandra-sifferlin/) ## Alexandra Sifferlin Jul 2, 2015 5:00 PM UTC Consuming too much sodium can be a risk factor for heart problems, and new federal data shows more than 90% of Americans eat too much. The findings show that from 2011 to 2012, the average daily sodium intake among U.S. adults was 3,592 mg, which is well above the public health [target](http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/data/Chart/4947?category=926&by=Country%5Fof%5Fbirth) set by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) of 2,300 mg. The data comes from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) 2013 survey of 180,000 American adults in 26 states, D.C. and Puerto Rico. The findings were published Thursday in the CDC’s _Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report_ (_MMWR_). Some Americans, however, are taking action to cut back, the report shows. About half of the U.S. adults surveyed said they were monitoring or reducing their sodium intake, and 20% said they had received medical advice to do so. People with high blood pressure were more likely to report they were doing something about their sodium consumption, and overall, people in Southern states were more likely to report such action or advice from medical providers. Public health experts argue that people without high blood pressure could also benefit from cutting back. “Among adults without hypertension, most did not report taking action to reduce sodium intake, and an even smaller proportion reported receiving professional advice to reduced sodium,” the study authors write. “These findings suggest an opportunity for promoting strategies to reduce sodium consumption among all adults, with and without hypertension.” Sodium intake recommendations have been the focus of controversy, with some researchers [arguing](http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/24/opinion/sunday/the-debate-on-salty-foods-continued.html?%5Fr=0) that sodium levels are safe and that cutting back to very low recommended levels could be harmful. Others argue that high sodium consumption is related to serious health complications and contributes to [millions of deaths every year](http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1304127). Some groups recommend limits that are even lower than the HHS; for instance, the American Heart Association [recommends ](http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HighBloodPressure/PreventionTreatmentofHighBloodPressure/Shaking-the-Salt-Habit%5FUCM%5F303241%5FArticle.jsp)less than 1,500 mg a day. In the new CDC report, researchers say that a high sodium habit doesn’t come cheap; medical costs for cardiovascular disease are predicted to triple from $273 billion to $818 billion between 2010 to 2030, and cutting back on sodium intake by 1,200 mg a day could save $18 billion in costs each year, they say. ## Transcript You're watching everwell. Know More. Live Better. [ MUSIC ] [ MUSIC ] I've heard sea salt is a lot healthier and more organic Than regular table salt. I don't know exactly how it's harvested but it just seems like a more natural route to go. Sea salt is popping up everywhere these days from canned soups to fancy frozen dinners. Many people prefer it because they think it's more healthful than table salt. But, in fact, that notion contains less than a sprinkle of truth. Sea salt is produced by the evaporation of sea water, while table salt is mined from underground deposits. By weight, both contain about the same amount of sodium. And it's the sodium in salt that can pose a health risk, by raising blood pressure. Sure. Sea salt often has trace amounts of other minerals such as magnesium and copper, but the levels are generally too low to provide any health benefits. One thing sea salt typically does not contain is added iodine. Since the 1920s, the mineral has been added to table salt to prevent iodine deficiency Consistency. But now a days that's less important, because it's easier to get adequate amounts of iodine through a normal diet. The other minerals in sea salt can add extra flavor, which may allow you to go easier on the salt shaker. If you prefer the taste or the variety of textures and colors. There's nothing wrong with using sea salt, just limit your intake just as you would with table salt. Experts recommend no more than twenty three hundred milligrams of sodium a day for healthy people and even less, fifteen hundred milligrams if you are over fifty, or African American or if you have high blood pressure or diabetes. As for those images on sea salt, those sparkling blue seas implying that it's some kind of natural health food They're best taken with a grain of salt. Helping you be a healthy skeptic, I'm Robert Davis. 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