In New York, dishes served in restaurant chains containing more salt than recommended will be marked with salt-shaker symbols.
As the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends a daily limit of 2,300 (1 teaspoon), the city Board of Health announced the new regulation effective December 1st on Wednesday.
The country's largest city is the first to impose such requirement in hopes to urge Americans to eat healthy. According to a survey, an average American consumes about 3,400mg a day - with only one in 10 meeting the recommended 2,300mg limit.
As majority of dietary salt come from restaurant and processed food, diners don't seem to realize that the amount of sodium they consume can be way above the limit. High sodium intake is often linked to dangerous health risks such as high blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes.
As TIME reports, sodium content for a Panera Bread Smokehouse Turkey Panini is 2,590 mg; regular-size Applebee's Grilled Shrimp 'n Spinach Salad is 2,990 mg; TGI Friday's sesame jack chicken strips is 2,700 mg; and Subway's footlong spicy Italian sub is 2,980 mg.
The new requirement is criticized by restaurateurs and salt producers saying this is a misguided step that will eventually end up as confusing warnings. According to Salt Institute, the proposal was based on "incorrect government targets" as one international study that involved 100,000 people suggests the average sodium intake is actually good for heart health.
"There are few other areas in which public health could do more to save lives," said the executive director of advocacy group Center for Science in the Public Interest, Michael Jacobson.
"The concern, at some point, is that warning labels and the confluence of warnings on menus will lead to a collective shrug by consumers ... as every item on a menu will be flagged as inappropriate in one way or another," said New York State Restaurant Association NYC Chapter lawyer James Versocki.
Out of all restaurant chains in New York City, only Panera Bread has expressed its support to the proposal.
