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Things to know about new sodium guidelines

WASHINGTON (AP) – From cheese to sliced turkey, the Obama administration is encouraging food companies and restaurants to lower the amount of salt in the foods they sell.

If the effort is successful, most Americans won’t even notice the change. The idea is to lower sodium levels gradually so consumers’ taste buds can adjust, and to give the industry time to develop lower-sodium foods. Voluntary guidance proposed by the Food and Drug Administration Wednesday sets two-year and 10-year sodium targets for around 150 categories of foods.

It’s the first time the government has recommended such limits. Sodium content already is included on existing food labels, but the government has not previously set specific sodium recommendations.

Things for consumers to know about the new guidelines:

Health officials from the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say 9 out of 10 Americans are eating too much salt.

The recommended amount is 2,300 milligrams a day, or about a teaspoon. But most people eat closer to 3,400 milligrams a day. That number has stayed steady over the years.

The government says overwhelming scientific evidence shows that blood pressure increases when sodium intake increases, upping the chances of heart disease and stroke. Most of that sodium is hidden inside common processed foods and restaurant meals, making it harder for consumers to control how much salt they eat.

The new targets cover a wide variety of processed and packaged foods. The guidelines propose average sodium amounts for categories of foods, and also upper limits for individual foods.

For some foods, levels of sodium can vary widely. According to the CDC, sodium in a slice of white bread ranges from 80 milligrams to 230 milligrams. The new guidelines are designed to encourage more consistency, and for companies to aim for the lower ranges.

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