
While we all know to avoid certain salty foods like pickles, pretzels, and store-bought soups, it turns out that there are tons of foods with hidden sodium that we’d never suspect. According to the CDC, the average American consumes more than 3,400 mg of sodium daily, while the American Heart Association suggests consuming less than 2,300 mg of sodium, with the ideal limit being 1,500 mg. Over 75% of our daily salt intake actually comes from hidden salts in packaged foods. With the help of Dr. Jennifer Caudle, Assistant Professor at Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine, we are going to uncover the top five secret salt bombs you need to know about.
More: The Plan to Break Up With Salt
Breakfast Foods and Baked Goods
As Dr. Caudle points out, salt can actually make sugar taste sweeter and make cookies more crunchy. For this reason, cereals and other processed foods have a lot more sodium than we would think. For example, one cup of Frosted O’s can have 1/3 of your total daily allotment and biscuit or pancake mixes can have up to 800 mg of sodium in just one serving. To avoid the salt trap, try buying organic cereals with fewer ingredients so you can keep track of the sugar and salt content or make your own granola for breakfast instead.