In a scientific analysis published last week in The New England Journal of Medicine, researchers at the University of California, San Francisco; Stanford University; and Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons calculated that if Americans reduced their salt intake by half a teaspoon a day, or three grams (the equivalent of 1,200 milligrams of sodium, the health culprit in salt), the nation would save up to $24 billion a year in health care costs.
（アメリカ人が１日小さじ半分の塩を控えると、２４０億ドルの医療費の削減。）
And money is not the only thing that would be saved. The researchers calculated that the half-teaspoon reduction would “reduce the annual number of new cases of coronary heart disease by 60,000 to 120,000, stroke by 32,000 to 66,000, and myocardial infarction [heart attack] by 54,000 to 99,000, and reduce the annual number of deaths from any cause by 44,000 to 92,000.”
（お金だけではなく、心臓病、心臓発作などの発症件数が半減。）
The average daily intake of sodium exceeds 4,000 milligrams — nearly double what a healthy person should consume. The explosive growth of fast foods has not helped matters. Last year, the Washington center published the sodium content of a number of popular restaurant meals that each provided 4,000 or more milligrams of sodium.
For example, at Olive Garden, a meal of chicken parmigiana, one breadstick, salad with house dressing and raspberry lemonade totaled 5,735 milligrams of sodium, the equivalent of two and a half teaspoons of salt.
At Chili’s, a meal of Buffalo chicken fajitas with tortillas, condiments and a Dr Pepper totaled 6,916 milligrams of sodium, or three teaspoons of salt. Even the rather innocent-sounding Dairy Queen meal of a spicy chili bowl, a side salad with fat-free ranch dressing and a Mountain Dew added up to 4,500 milligrams of sodium.
（アメリカ人の平均ナトリウム摂取量は4,000mg、これは人間の必要摂取量の約２倍。例えば、オリーブガーデンでchicken parmigiana, one breadstick, salad with house dressing and raspberry lemonadeのナトリウム合計は5,735mg、Chili RestaurantでBuffalo chicken fajitas with tortillas, condiments and a Dr Pepperのナトリウム合計は6,916mg、デイリークイーンでa spicy chili bowl, a side salad with fat-free ranch dressing and a Mountain Dewのナトリウム合計は4,500mgという数字が公表。）
When eating out, consider asking that salt not be added to the foods you order. You can always sprinkle on a little at the table. If you cut back gradually, your taste buds will adapt painlessly.
（外食するときは塩なしでオーダー、テーブルで塩をふりかけること実践してみては。時間をかけて減らしてゆけば、あなたの味覚も自然と適応していきます。）
最近のチェーンレストランのテーブルにはカロリー表示の冊子がよく置かれていますが、塩分摂取量にも要注意です。私も毎日のおにぎりの塩加減を注意します。
記事全文はこちら。（記事掲載日：２０１０年１月２６日）
