New York City Salt Warning Now in Effect

A new sodium warning requirement goes into effect in New York City restaurants Tuesday: Diners who eat at chain restaurants will now see warnings on menus next to items that contain high levels of salt.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services are among the scientific bodies that have recommended that Americans reduce their daily sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg.

The average American consumes approximately 3,400 mg of sodium per day, well over the recommended daily allowance, with menu items from their favorite brands under the microscope.

Janet Kramer, a registered dietitian at UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio, said too much salt can affect the ability for blood to clot and harden blood vessels, leading to long-term effects on the kidney, cardiovascular system and even nervous system. “High sodium intake can increase blood pressure and risk of heart disease and stroke”.

Zane Tankel, CEO of Apple-Metro, owner of Applebee’s restaurants in New York City, says his company is on board. She’s due to discuss it further at a news conference on Monday.

For health advocates, watching one’s sodium intake is hopefully a good step to change people’s behavior for the better.

New Yorkers had mixed reactions to the new rule. They say the city is going overboard. Then, many chains created sticker shock when they posted the calorie content of each item (a piece of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that has not been required of restaurants nationwide- yet).

However, the restaurant industry has lashed back, accusing the city of zeroing in on only one ingredient.

“Every one of these cumbersome new laws makes it tougher and tougher for restaurants to find success”, said New York State Restaurant Association President Melissa Fleischut after the approval according to WABC-TV.

The rule is also limited in another way: It’ll only apply to bigger chain restaurants, which the health department estimates captures about 10 percent of the restaurant foods people eat.

According to the New York City Board of Health the rule will apply to combo items, such as an order-by-number meal that might include a soup and a sandwich or a burger and french fries.