TOO MUCH SODIUM IN FAST-FOOD LUNCH

FAST-FOOD LUNCHES PROVIDES TOO MUCH
RATION OF SODIUM FOR MIDDLE AGE & OLDERS

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Most fast-food lunches sold in New York City provided a full day's allotment of sodium for the majority of adults, and then some, researchers said. The mean sodium content in 6,580 meals bought at fast-food chains by ordinary consumers in 2007 was 1,751 mg, reported Christine M. Johnson, MBA, of the New York City Health Department, and colleagues in the April 26 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine. The recommended daily allowance of sodium is 1,500 mg for individuals with hypertension, and everyone of middle age and older, according to the CDC. “Fast food is not only a high-calorie but also a high-sodium food,” Johnson and colleagues wrote. About 57% of the meals exceeded the 1,500-mg level. Fried chicken outlets including KFC and Popeye's were the worst offenders, with 55% of the 585 meals bought at those stores surpassing 2,300 mg of sodium. Another 28% were between 1,500 and 2,300 mg.

Pizza and hamburger chains tended to put less sodium in the food, with about half of meals from these outlets containing less than 1,500 mg. To come up with their numbers, Johnson and colleagues swapped $2 transit cards for customers' receipts as they left fast-food restaurants at lunchtime. Receipts were included in the study only if the customer was at least 18 and it listed at least one “entree,” defined as an item that wasn't a drink, dessert, or side order such as fries or salad. “Our findings support the need for the fast-food industry to focus on reducing sodium levels across product lines,” Johnson and colleagues wrote. “Government, public health, and industry involvement to accelerate food reformulation will reduce blood pressure and save lives,” they asserted.


Excessive intake of salt contributes to hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Most of this unnecessary sodium ingestion comes in packaged and restaurant foods, not from salt added at the table. Therefore, be careful and change the fast-food for a healthy vegetarian diet.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

Vegetables and fruits are rich in fiber and nutrients, but instead of eating them we feed them to the animals and then instead ingest fats and cholesterol from the animals. Where is the logic? ... The amount of toxic waste by this industry alone is 1 billion tons per year which is about 60-80% of the total toxic waste. Global warming would be reduced considerably if meat consumption were reduced. The contribution to global warming by automobiles is insignificant compared to the use of energy for feedstock. So now there are 2 Major reasons to become a vegetarian: 1) Participate in making the world a more compassionate one. 2) For your own self- preservation and good health!

The Hare Krishna Views On Science :
“Why be a Vegan / Vegetarian?”
http://www.krishnascience.com