We all like to sit back and let someone else do the cooking, but health experts say there's a big reason you may want to cut back on restaurant meals.
As it turns out, many restaurant meals are teeming with a hidden ingredient that could be the root of some of your health problems: salt.
Salt is a rich source of sodium, which the body needs to function normally. The problem is that too much sodium can raise blood pressure, and high blood pressure is a risk factor for heart disease and stroke. High sodium has also been linked to sleeping issues, cognitive impairment, increased stress levels and an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
The World Health Organization recommends that adults consume less than 2,000 milligrams of sodium per day, but the average adult consumes more than double that.
Foods that otherwise seem healthy can have high levels of sodium. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the top sources of sodium include: sandwiches, pasta and other grain-based dishes, starchy and non-starchy vegetables, meat/poultry/seafood dishes, pizza, soups, snacks, condiments, cold cuts and cured meats, and breads and tortillas.
Most of the sodium we eat comes from processed foods and foods prepared in restaurants. A recent analysis of the top 91 highest-grossing U.S. restaurant chains found that many menu items exceeded the daily recommended sodium value for adults, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
The CSPI report found that restaurant dishes contribute on average 31% of daily sodium consumption among adults and 26% among children.
Despite the known issues with sodium consumption, restaurant dishes are actually getting saltier. Research by the Food and Drug Administration shows that salt content increased in 49% of restaurant food categories between 2010 and 2022.
Eliminating extra salt from your diet can have swift effects. One study found that the majority of adults who significantly reduced their sodium intake to about 500 milligrams a day — a 75% reduction from their normal salt intake — saw their systolic blood pressure drop by about 6-8 mmHg in one week.
"It's a dramatic effect," Dr. Norrina Allen, a senior author on the study and professor at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, said in a statement. "That's about the effect you would see starting medication."
In order to curb your sodium intake, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute suggests making a gradual shift in your diet. Try consuming less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium each day. Then aim for a lower amount, such as 2,000, 1,500 or 1,000 milligrams.