When people think about eating too much salt, the first foods that come to mind are usually chips, fries or instant noodles. But the biggest contributors to excess sodium aren’t always the obvious ones. In fact, many foods marketed as “healthy,” “light” or “everyday essentials” can quietly add up over the course of a day. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), adults should consume less than 5 grams of salt a day, roughly one teaspoon, which equals about 2,000 mg of sodium. Consistently eating more than this has been linked to a higher risk of high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. The challenge is that much of the salt we consume is already hidden in packaged and processed foods, making it easy to exceed the daily limit without realizing it. Here are 10 foods that often contain far more salt than people expect.
