Carolyn Bell, RDN – Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
“PUT YOUR BEST FORK FORWARD”. Parents this month teach good nutrition to your children, one fork bite at a time. Set healthy examples when you eat with your children. Try to cook more fresh, home-cooked meals and reap the benefits of controlling how much sodium (salt) is added to your meals. The average person only needs 2300 mg. of sodium a day, and this is the equivalent to one teaspoon of salt. Before you use your fork to take one bite, learn how much sodium is in your meal. There are approximately 2300 mg. of sodium in one teaspoon of salt. Together, as a family, write down how many milligrams of salt are in each ingredient used for your meal. Keep in mind this sodium if from only one meal of the day, and our body only requires approximately 2300 mg. a day. Excess sodium in foods such as prepackaged foods, or dining out meals – can easily equal 2300 mg. of sodium or more. Too much salt can contribute to diseases such as high blood pressure, and congestive heart failure.
