In this day and age of watching what we put into our bodies, we stay focused mainly on carbs, fat, calories, artificial ingredients, etc. Sodium is not always the first thing on the label we see. But if you do happen to notice just how much salt is in some of the products out there, you’d be taken back. Kraft, in an effort to make the world a healthier place has since decided to reduce the number of their foods by 10%.
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Kraft Foods Inc. said Wednesday that it would cut the salt in its products that are sold in North America by an average of 10% over the next two years to appeal to health-conscious consumers.
The changes at Kraft, the largest U.S. food maker, will affect more than 1,000 products and eliminate more than 10 million pounds of salt each year, the company said.
Kraft and other food makers have cut their use of sodium in recent years. The company said this latest move would cut the salt in Oscar Mayer bologna by 17%, Easy Mac Cups by 20%, and Velveeta by 10%.
"We are reducing sodium because it's good for consumers and, if done properly, it's good for business," Rhonda Jordan, president of health and wellness at Kraft, said in a statement. "A growing number of consumers are concerned about their sodium intake, and we want to help them translate their intentions into actions."
Health experts generally agree Americans eat too much salt, and the vast majority of it comes from processed food. The excess is dangerous because salt contributes to high blood pressure, which can lead to stroke, kidney disease, heart disease, or heart failure.
Many health leaders have urged food makers to reformulate their products to reduce salt.
Dietary guidelines generally limit healthy adults to about a teaspoon, or 2,300 milligrams, of sodium a day. People who are most sensitive to salt, including African Americans and people with high blood pressure, should limit their daily intake to 1,500 milligrams, according to the Food and Drug Administration.
Kraft offers more than 100 products with no sodium or what it calls low or reduced levels.