SALT OF THE EARTH

By William C, Douglass, MD

When it comes to public watchdog groups like the Center for Science in the Public Interest, their advice is hit or miss. This time around, they're way off.

CSPI is now blaming fast food and chain restaurants for the deaths of thousands of Americans every year. The cause? High sodium content. Their solution? More government regulations.

As you know, this is where I draw the line.

CSPI researchers checked out 17 well-known restaurant chains and found what they consider to be "dangerous" levels of sodium in more than 85 percent of the meals on the various menus.

"Who knows how many Americans have been pushed prematurely into their graves thanks to sodium levels like those found in Olive Garden, Chili's, and Red Lobster," says Michael F. Jacobson, executive director of the CSPI. "These chains are sabotaging the food supply. They should cut back and give consumers the freedom to decide for themselves how much salt they want."

Hold on a minute. Are the restaurants FORCING the consumers to eat all this salt? Are the waiters force-feeding you biscuits and lobster tails? Last I checked, you were still Master of your Meal Plan. You could still choose when, where, and what you eat. And I, for one, would like to keep it that way.

Johns Hopkins University geriatrician Dr. Mel Daly says the danger is that "many elderly eat frequently at these restaurants because of the convenience and cost," and are subjecting themselves to blood pressure spikes and heart failure.

Here we go again. In the name of "protecting the public," the CPSI is ready to hand your dietary rights over to Uncle Sam. It's crazy to think that the government could one day tell you what you can and can't eat -- but that's exactly what these types of organizations are proposing.

Jacobson said, "Getting the food and restaurant industry to use less salt would be one way Obama administration could help prevent chronic disease and make health coverage more affordable."

Maybe he's right: after all, who in their right mind would eat at a restaurant that's run as poorly as our government?

How much salt is too much?

In light of stories like this one, I know you're probably wondering how much salt is too much. Well, it depends on who you ask.

According to government recommendations, most people should limit their daily intake to 2,300 mg of sodium per day. And if you have certain health problems -- or if you're not a spring chicken anymore -- you should have no more than 1,500 mg per day.

I'm not one for breaking out the calculator to regulate how much of this or that I should eat. Eating was never meant to be that complicated. So here's a good rule of thumb: If it's a pre-packaged, processed food, chances are its sodium content is through the roof. It has to be in order to extend the shelf life. Don't waste you money -- or your health -- on this junk food.

Restaurant foods aren't much better. Meals like the Admiral's Feast at Red Lobster, served with a Caesar salad, lobster-topped mashed potatoes, a cheddar biscuit and a lemonade totaled 7,106 mg of sodium. That one meal amounts to three to four days' worth of sodium in one sitting.

Is this excessive and unhealthy? You bet it is. That still doesn't mean we should call in the troops to regulate how much salt these organizations can legally put into their food.

But there's one thing everyone is overlooking in all this mess. Sodium is actually good for you. In fact, it's a vital mineral in the human diet. It is the main component of the body's extracellular fluids and carries nutrients to and from cells. Sodium also causes the body to retain water that is needed to perform numerous chemical processes, maintains blood pH, and helps regulate muscle, nerve, and stomach functions.

The only salt worthy of consumption is sea salt from a clean seabed. The salt will not be the snow-white variety you're used to. The one source I trust is The Grain and Salt Society. Check them out online at www.Celtic-Seasalt.com.

Using salty language to rant against the anti-salt folks,