Shaking Your Salt Habit

Avoid these shocking sources of salt to cut back on your sodium intake.

The average American gets about twice as much blood-pressure-boosting sodium a day as the recommended 1,500 to 2,300 mg limit. Not every pretzel lover develops hypertension, but some 73 million of us have it. And new research shows that high blood pressure kills more women than men and is two to three times more common in women who take oral contraceptives.

Even if you never lift a shaker, you may be eating much more salt than you think. It lurks in many processed foods, even those that don't taste salty. Right now there's no specific limit on how much salt manufacturers can put in their products, but the American Medical Association and other groups are pushing the FDA to change salt's “generally recommended as safe” status, which could give the agency more power to restrict sodium levels.

Salt adds up fast, so skip foods with more than 500 mg of sodium per serving, and be aware of these shocking sources:

Bread: A bagel has upwards of 450 mg, twice the amount in a medium order of McDonald's fries. Two slices of Pepperidge Farm Whole Wheat bread have 360 mg.

Dairy: A half cup of cottage cheese has 460 mg; two slices of American cheese, 540 mg.

Poultry: A four-ounce chicken breast contains as much as 350 mg-and that's before you doctor it up.

"Instant" options: It's not just the well-known culprits (canned soup, flavored rice, pasta sauce). Four small pancakes made with Aunt Jemima's Original mix contain 740 mg of sodium, and a half cup of Jell-O Instant Lemon Pudding has 310 mg.