High Blood Pressure

Frequently Asked Questions

16. What is the major source of the salt, or sodium, that we eat each day?

Click to enlarge image

Only a small amount of the salt that we eat comes from the salt shaker, and only small amounts occur naturally in food. Most of the salt that we eat comes from processed foods -- for example, canned or processed meat, baked goods, and certain cereals, and foods with soy sauce, seasoned salts, monosodium glutamate (MSG), and baking soda.  Food from fast food restaurants, frozen foods, and canned foods also tend to be higher in sodium.