Despite recommendations to limit sodium intake to reduce or avoid high blood pressure, Americans are eating more salt than ever.

The average American consumes 3,000 to 5,000 mg of salt each day.

The recommendation for healthy adults is 2,300 mg, which is equal to about 1 teaspoon of table salt (sodium chloride). Those diagnosed with high blood pressure are urged to reduce intake to below 1,500 mg.

Though we can all picture friends who blindly reach for the saltshaker, only 6 percent of the sodium we eat comes from what we sprinkle.

A staggering 77 percent of the sodium consumed by Americans comes from processed and restaurant food. About 12 percent is naturally occurring in food and 5 percent is added when cooking meals at home.

Sodium is used as a preservative to keep foods fresher longer and to enhance flavor. Some reduced-calorie foods replace fat with sodium to make up for flavor reduction.

The best way to lower sodium intake is to read labels on all packaged and processed foods. Some common high-sodium foods are cold cuts, salad dressings, snack food, processed cheese and canned food.

High-sodium menu items at restaurants may be more difficult to spot but many restaurants chains are posting nutrition information on their websites.

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Scripps Howard News Service