For the average college student, consuming foods off of any fast food menu is one of the easiest ways to satisfy a salty craving. At the same time, salting French fries or adding salty condiments to food is a common way for students to add flavor or bring out the flavor in their meals. These fast food choices and the practice of salting foods, however, can also lead to health complications because of the understated effects of salt intake. 

Excessive sodium consumption has become a topic of recent concern among health care professionals. According to WebMD, cutting salt intake by just half a teaspoon a day would prevent up to 92,000 deaths, 99,000 heart attacks and 66,000 strokes in the United States. Many medical professionals believe that cutting salt is as good as quitting smoking in terms of lengthening a person’s overall life span. 

Salt is a dietary mineral made up of sodium chloride molecules and is essential for human bodily processes. It is the oldest preservative known to man and is the most widely and commonly used food seasoning.  

Although salt intake is vital for proper bodily functions, excessive amounts of the mineral can be harmful to the human body.   The American Heart Association recommends adults should aim to eat less than 1,500 milligrams of sodium per day.  

Lisa Eberhart, registered dietician and nutritionist at the University, feels it is imperative that students cut back salting their food at the table.  

“There are 2,300 milligrams of sodium in one teaspoon of salt. The daily recommended salt intake for teenagers and adults is around 1,500 milligrams per day,” Eberhart said. “This is the equivalent of one teaspoon. Students should be concerned if they exceed 3,000 milligrams. ”  

Eberhart said she believes the average salt intake for college students is somewhere between 2700 milligrams and 4900 milligrams. Salt intake is a concern because sodium raises blood pressure, which can cause even more health risks down the road.   

“The problem with salt is that it raises blood pressure. Increased blood pressure narrows the arteries, eventually leading to heart disease,” Eberhart said. “High blood pressure also affects fluid retention and kidney disease.”  

Fluid retention is the body’s way of maintaining water balance. Increased sodium prevents the body from taking in proper amounts of potassium, magnesium and calcium. Without these minerals, the body cannot maintain balance. High blood pressure makes it difficult for the kidneys to function, leading to kidney disease.  
 

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 77 percent of the salt in the American diet comes from processed food. Only 6 percent is shaken out at the table, and only 5 percent is sprinkled during cooking.  

For most students, the majority of the salt in their diet is in fact coming from processed foods.  

“I like my food to be salty but I don’t overdo it,” Ashley Brooks, a freshman in animal sciences, said. “I never add salt to my food before I taste it.”  

The taste for salt is an acquired taste. A common way students choose to satisfy their craving for salt is to dine at fast food locations around campus.  

“I eat Chick-fil-A almost everyday. I am more worried about how food tastes, not what is in it,” Tyler Reber, a sophomore in First Year College, said. “I realize that salty foods aren’t great for my body.”  

Students also consume unnecessary amounts of salts during meals when they use extra salty condiments.  

“College students tend to add salty condiments, such as dressings, soy sauce and mustard, to food,” Eberhart said. “They like the taste of salt so they need more salt for food to taste good. But they don’t need it.”  

Students who are looking to change their eating habits need to evaluate their entire diet and should avoid focusing on only one aspect.  

“When eating at the dining hall, students need to skip the fast food options,” Eberhart said. “Students shouldn’t salt their food and at least half of the plate should be fruits and vegetables.”  

Students who are currently consuming excessive amounts of salt can take simple steps each day to prevent future health complications.  

“Sodium is like any other mineral. You need it in balance,” Eberhart said.  “Balance is key.”