Since the beginnings of recorded history the production of salt has been a major component of industry. Salt is produced by mining rock crystals or reducing seawater or brine by boiling or evaporation. In China, saltworks date back to 6000 BC. An incorrect story is that Roman soldiers were paid in salt. This is not true but they were paid a salarium to buy salt, hence our English "salary." In Europe salt production was so important that cities were named for it. Salzburg, Austria literally means "Salt City", as does Hallstat in Germany. Any English town name ending in "wich," means that it once was a salt production center. This leads us to the town of Sandwich and its Fourth Earl, Lord Montagu, who is said to have invented the ubiquitous meal of edibles served between slices of bread.

Modern day sandwiches can be a far cry from the simple roast meat that Montagu ate with bread while gaming. What they do have in common is salt. While salt is necessary for our bodies to function properly, too much of it can be very dangerous to our health. It’s the sodium that is the problem. Excessive consumption can lead to hypertension (high blood pressure), osteoporosis, ulcers, asthma and heartburn among a wide variety of ailments. Salt is 40% sodium and 60% chloride by weight. The recommended daily intake of sodium is 2300 mg, which is about a teaspoon of table salt.

A recent study gave the following sodium content of some popular fast foods.

A Reuben sandwich contains 3270mg, almost 1.5 times the daily requirement.

A ham & egg sandwich with cheese from major chain restaurant has 2580mg.

The "Large Original Sandwich" from another major chain restaurant has a whopping 4590mg.

With salt contents like these, we can see how easy it is to go overboard on sodium.

Here are some simple guidelines to reduce your sodium consumption.

The more a food is processed the more sodium it contains, so use fresh meats and produce whenever possible. Buy products labeled low or reduced salt or no salt added and make sure to read all the labels to see exactly how much sodium they contain.

Another important tip is to taste foods as you cook them. Always add salt at the end of cooking so you don’t over salt while on the stove and avoid automatically salting your food when at table.

Salt is necessary for health. But too much of a good thing can also be dangerous.

Remember to eat five servings of fruits and vegetables every day!

Tina Kerrigan is the owner of Corner Office Healthcare Consultants and Jobs in Dietetics of San Dimas. She can be reached at (909) 599-3354 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it for questions, comments or ideas for future columns.