Sneaky salt lurks in restaurant meals, bread

It's easy to recognize that chips and pretzels are generally big sources of salt. But it's also hidden in foods you might not suspect, making it all too easy to exceed the recommended limits of our daily sodium intake -- and too much salt in our diets has been linked to a higher risk for heart disease and stroke.

On just about any kitchen or restaurant table in America lives the salt shaker. However, salt isn't just what you sprinkle on top of your food -- it's already hidden inside.

"What I think a lot of people don't realize is that sodium is in a lot of foods that don't taste salty," said dietitian Lisa Cimperman, with University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland.

She said most adults should be getting between 2,000 milligrams and 3,000 milligrams of sodium each day -- about a teaspoon. But most of us are consuming anywhere from 5,000 milligrams to 10,000 milligrams.

"It is insanely easy to consume large quantities of sodium, even if you're not one of those people who's eating a lot of processed junk food," Cimperman said.

Hardly considered junk food, bread can hide a lot of sodium behind the promise of whole grains. Cimperman advises comparing labels before choosing a baguette for your basket.

Fresh produce and salads are natural choices for a low-sodium meal, but watch what you put on top of such healthy fare.

"You may think you're doing a good, healthy thing by choosing a low-fat salad dressing, but they vary greatly in terms of the sodium content," said Cimperman.

Salt also finds its way into baked goods in the form of sodium bicarbonate, more commonly known as baking soda.

Experts say don't pass the salt -- pass on it and learn to flavor food with herbs and spices to shake that salt habit.

The biggest source of hidden sodium by far, according to the experts, is restaurant meals. Dietitians say most fast food or restaurant meals contain at least 1,000 milligrams of salt.