Salt—sodium chloride—is one of the deadliest ingredients in the U.S. food supply. While a small amount is safe and necessary for health, the amount of salt in the typical American diet—about a teaspoon and a half a day—is a major cause of high blood pressure, or hypertension. Currently, upwards of 70 million—more than one in four— Americans suffer from that condition, which increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Non-Hispanic black adults have the highest prevalence of hypertension in the United States (42.1%) compared to non-Hispanic white, Asian, and Hispanic adults (28%, 24.7%, and 26%, respectively).