The Big Apple’s Salt Shakedown

Consumer Freedom.com ^ | January 11, 2010

[Still Thinking]

When it rains, it pours for overzealous New York City food nannies. The city announced today that it has a new front in its war on food: salt. The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is asking food manufacturers and restaurants to voluntarily reduce the sodium content of foods, with the goal of slashing salt intake by 25 percent over 5 years. (If the city’s past regulatory heavy-handedness is any indication, though, it means “voluntary” in the Tony Soprano sense of the word.) As we’re telling the media today, people should take NYC’s salt proposition with a grain of you-know-what:

The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s latest assault on salt once again shows city regulators are dead set on demonizing and regulating just about every aspect of New Yorkers' lives. These sodium guidelines are the latest example of the city's disdainful belief that when it comes to matters of personal health, the city knows best.

Everybody needs salt to live; there’s little debate about that. But as for the city’s claim that sodium consumption is too high, it’s not so black-and-white. An October study in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology found that people naturally regulate their salt intake, meaning that for every can of anchovies people eat, their bodies go for less salty food later on. In other words, government-induced ingredient tinkering would be an exercise in futility.

And as The New York Times notes, there are other problems with NYC’s hastiness:

An elaborate clinical trial could weigh the pluses and minuses of cutting salt in a large group of people. But that would cost millions, and it has not been done.

Dr. Michael H. Alderman, a professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, said the city’s initiative, if successful in reducing salt, would amount to an uncontrolled experiment with the public’s health.

“I’m always worried about unintended consequences,” he said.

One consequence may be that New Yorkers will have to pack a shaker in their pockets whenever they eat out. We’re sure that Mayor Bloomberg, who according to the Times enjoys salt as an extra topping on his pizza, will be one of them. And while Hizzoner is pouring it on, he should ask himself: Are people getting high blood pressure from eating too much salt, or from hearing too much nanny-state hysteria?

[jessduntno]

This law isn’t worth its salt...

[Still Thinking]

LOL. Neither is Blooming-idiot.

[wastedyears]

I really wish I was able to get out of this God-forsaken city. When I have the means, I’m running and not looking back.

[jessduntno]

Really...pretty soon we will have to get an OK from the Human Waste Dept. to evacuate our bowels...WTF is happening to this country, I do not know, but when Freedom is gone, it is gone...

[GeronL]

hypocrite

[GraceG]

I personally don’t like pretzels encrusted with salt, though i won’t begrudge someone who likes them the opportunity to buy them even if it makes them sick.

[Still Thinking]

Really...pretty soon we will have to get an OK from the Human Waste Dept. to evacuate our bowels...WTF is happening to this country, I do not know, but when Freedom is gone, it is gone...

Actually, that could be kind of a lemons-to-lemonade scenario for liberty lovers. If you have to evacuate, head on down and leave it on their porch for, uh, review. If anyone complains or tries to arrest you, point out that it is after all, the department in charge of the stuff you left, so what's the problem?

[tet68]

I know if I was a denizen of New York, I would be
mighty pissed to see my tax dollars being spent on
such unconnected crap as this.

[dblshot]

No you can't have chips and a pickle with that!

[joeystoy]

I'm 59 years old. 165 pounds. 141 cholesterol. 110/70 blood pressure. I run three miles of wind sprints three times a week and do intense weight training three times a week. Since I put in long work days to earn enough money to pay the mayor, the governor and all the other fat little blood-sucking parasites in New York their pound of flesh, my Sundays are spent relaxing on my recliner watching football.

And now our esteemed Billionaire in Chief wants to tell me what I can and can't eat!

Hey Bloomie... if you're so rich how come you're not smart?

[Still Thinking]

Well, you know the guy whose will begins “Being of sound mind and body, I spent it all”. Well, Bloomie isn’t that guy.

[joeystoy]

Hey neighbor, I’m with you.

As soon as my little one graduates high school (June, 2011) we’re outa here.

[shredderman]

And another reason not to go visit my Sister in Law. And my Wife says she misses the City..........

[Still Thinking]

There’s more wives available than there are cities. Supply and demand. ;-)

[johngaltspeaks]

Mayor Bloomburg is one reason why I have zero desire to ever visit New York City ever again. They are the California of the east coast. They want to push their ideas on the whole country.

BUTT OUT!!