The association has announced it will sue to stop the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and New York Board of Health from requiring chain restaurants to inform their customers when a single menu item has a teaspoon or more of salt-a day’s worth.
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On the other hand, Dan Goldberg of Politico New York reports that the National Restaurant Association plans to file a lawsuit against the New York City Health Department over the new ruling. “High sodium intake can increase blood pressure and risk of heart disease and stroke”. The rule takes effect Tuesday but chains have until March to update their menus before receiving a $200 fine. The average American consumes about 3,400mg of salt per day, and public health advocates have cheered the measure as a smart step to make diners aware of how much sodium they are ordering.
Still, Americans tend to eat more than the recommended daily limit regularly-around 3,400 mg of sodium per day, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A T.G.I. Friday’s NY cheddar and bacon burger counts 4,280 mg, for example; a Chili’s boneless Buffalo chicken salad has 3,460 mg.
How much sodium is in some fast food favorites? But salt producers say the city is acting on myths about the risk of salt and cite a study from a year ago which showed most people’s salt intake was normal for a healthy heart.
A new menu from Applebee’s restaurant is seen at one of its outlet in the Manhattan borough of New York City November 30, 2015. An global study involving 100,000 people suggested previous year that most people’s salt intake was all right for heart health, though other scientists faulted the study.
NEW YORK, N.Y. – New York City begins a new era in nutritional warnings this week, when chain restaurants will have to start putting a special symbol on highly salty dishes.
“These warnings are needed in restaurants because the majority of sodium in our diet is not coming from what we decide to add with the salt shaker at the table, it’s already in the food when we buy it”, Dr. Mary Bassett, New York City Health Commissioner said in a statement.
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The New York City Board of Health unanimously approved the warning in September and it affects restaurants with at least 15 establishments throughout the United States, as well as concession stands located in some movie theatres and sports stadiums.
