“With the high sodium warning label, New Yorkers will have easily accessible information that can affect their health”, city Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett said when the Board of Health approved the new warning in September. That is the traditional recommended limit for an adult to consume in an entire day (Newer American Heart Association guidelines recommend 1,500 mg) and the triangle is supposed to warn that the one item has MORE than that amount. The CDC noted that excess sodium can cause a spike on blood pressure while increasing the risk for heart disease and stroke, two of the leading cause of death for Americans. Now, the FDA requires restaurants nationwide with 20 or more locations to display calorie counts on their menus.
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A sign with the following statement needs to be visibly posted in addition to the icons appearing next to specific items: “Warning: [This icon] indicates that the sodium (salt) content of this item is higher than the total daily recommended limit (2300 mg)”. The agencies reported then that “virtually all Americans consume more sodium than they need”, with an average intake of approximately 3400 mg per day.
Under the rule, a salt-shaker emblem will be needed on some salads, sandwiches and other menu items, climbing the recommended daily limit of 2,300 milligrams of sodium, which is roughly a teaspoon. Given the established connection between a diet high in sodium and cardiovascular issues like high blood pressure, the city made a decision to try and educate residents.
As the NRA asserts that the latest round of sodium mandates exceed the scope of the board’s regulatory authority, consumers are still struggling to understand just how much sodium exists in the foods they eat.
Applebee’s is among those restaurants who have willingly adopted sodium warnings on menus in the city. The group said it’s planning a legal challenge to the city’s salt warning.
While eateries are expected to comply as of Tuesday, the city won’t start collecting fines until March 1. After menus in the city started listing calorie counts, customers eventually became accustomed to seeing them and started ignoring them altogether. But New York City has always been a pioneer in dietary restrictions.
Additionally, they said the costs associated, including reprinting menus, could be a financial burden for the restaurant owners.
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While some sodium is necessary, people can usually get enough salt from meat and other items in which sodium occurs naturally, Kramer explained.
