S. Ind. county gets grant aimed at cutting salt

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — A southern Indiana county is hoping to use a $20,000 federal grant to educate local chefs and residents about how they can cut sodium levels in food to make for healthier meals.

Monroe County is the only Indiana to receive one of the grants this year from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC estimates 90 percent of Americans have a higher sodium intake than is recommended.

Health department administrator Penny Caudill tells The Herald-Times (http://bit.ly/XTrTfB ) sodium levels in food have risen over several decades. The health department will host educational classes hosted by chefs and dietitians to teach local restaurant staff how to reduce sodium while maintaining flavor.

Caudill says "we're not talking about huge changes" but small changes that people don't notice.

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Information from: The Herald Times, http://www.heraldtimesonline.com