Bread biggest source of salt in diets: study

For years, people have heard the lecture: Consume less sodium, or face higher risk of high blood pressure, heart attack or stroke. Most people know to be wary of salt in the usual suspects such as hotdogs, many canned foods, fast food and junk food. However, a recent U. S. government study shows we should watch out for bread, too. Bread is the No. 1 source of sodium in North American diets. People get twice as much salt from bread and rolls as they do from snacks, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Consider that a typical one- ounce slice of bread has between 100 and 200 milligrams, depending on the type and brand; an ounce of potato chips has about 120 or more. Breads and rolls aren’t saltier than many other foods, but they are eaten frequently, says CDC researcher Mary Cogswell, a study author. “Bread is also one of the top sources of calories because we consume so much of it.” Salt is crucial for making most breads, says Roger Clemens, a professor of pharmacology at the University of Southern California and a president of the Institute of Food Technologists. Manufacturers use sodium chloride and sodium bicarbonate to give bread texture and force dough to rise, Clemens says. “These give dough improved structure and serve as a leavening agent. Salt gives bread spring. It ties the gluten together. And sodium chloride is a natural preservative.”