Salt Assault, 4th edition

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. Together coronary heart disease and stroke kill about 500,000 people annually in the United States. Learn more in the report.