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I confess: I'm a saltaholic. I even salt my bread! Whether you're watching "American Idol" at home on your couch or the latest action flick at the multiplex, it's easy to snack on salty, crunchy nibbles straight through the credits.
In fact, the average person's salt intake has increased 55 percent in the past 20 years! Here's a little trick that may help you avoid gobbling an entire tub of popcorn in a blink: Go easy on the salt, or skip it altogether.
Just say no to that sodium urge. Why? Turns out that salting your popcorn may lead you to eat more of the fluffy stuff. Snackers in one study were given bowls of popcorn with either no salt, 1/2 teaspoon salt or one entire teaspoon of salt. And guess which ones consumed the most? That's right, the group that had the saltiest serving.
Plus, all that salty food can also make you thirsty, which researchers say could have you reaching for sugary sodas and juices.
It's no coincidence that consumption of carbonated drinks has also soared by 135 percent in the past 20 years, adding about 278 calories a day to our intake.
Translation: That's like hitting the vending machine for an extra candy bar daily! If you're trying to lose weight, or just keep the pounds off, opt for the unsalted versions of treats such as popcorn, nuts and crackers - and sip water instead of cola.
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