Many Americans have dangerous diets; there is peril in poultry, danger in Doritos and risk in rolls. All of these items have one thing in common: an abundance of salt. The average American consumes 3,600 milligrams of sodium a day, over twice the recommended 1,500 milligrams. A recent report from the American Heart Association Journal calculates that 280,000 to 500,000 lives would be prolonged if salt intake was decreased to 2,200 milligrams daily, lessening the risk of hypertension, strokes and heart disease.

“It’s astonishing how much salt the average American takes in,” junior James Lee said. “Just imagine how much the percentage of heart disease and stroke-related deaths would decrease if we ate less salt.”

Eighty percent of sodium comes from commercially prepared and packaged food, though food manufacturers are starting to restructure their products to contain less salt. Twenty-one companies, including Kraft Foods Inc., Heinz and Goya, have met their targets in using less salt, and others, such as PepsiCo Inc. and ConAgra, have pledged to reduce the sodium in their products by a set date in the future.

“This is a good thing health-wise and will benefit a lot of people,” junior Anisha Chaudhary said. “People eat too-big portions that have too much salt.”

Part of the problem is that many people are unaware of common foods that are high in sodium. The American Heart Association compiled a list of some of the saltiest foods out there, dubbed the “salty six.” The list is comprised of bread and rolls, cold cuts and cured meats, pizza, poultry, soup and sandwiches. Other sources include milk and eggs.

“There needs to be a balance of sodium content in your daily intake, neither too high nor too low,” senior Andy Shi said. “If the sodium level exceeds a certain intake relative to the amount of water you drink, your body will dehydrate, which will hinder your performance in your daily activities.”

Reducing the amount of sodium in one’s diet can be done in a variety of ways. Pre-packaged foods are some of the biggest sources of salt, and buying fresh and cooking from scratch will eliminate a lot of the risk. Herbs and spices often have added salts but many now have a salt-free version. There are also many low-sodium alternatives to many foods and ingredients.

“My mom specifically cooks with less salt to ensure that our family doesn’t eat too much salt,” Lee said. “You don’t necessarily need to add salt to add flavor.”