by Nathan Hunt |

Salt: the infamous, artery clogging, white-grained minerals that are more formally known as Sodium Chloride. However, this year, our cafeteria and many across the United States, no longer have the tiny shakers lounging about for use after you pick up your already not-so-healthy school lunch. The reason? First Lady, Michelle Obama, has been working on pressuring schools across America to serve healthier choices. According to the Centers for Disease Controls and Prevention (CDC), about 30.5% of Americans have heart attacks because of having high blood pressure. One way to help prevent this number from rising as America’s youth grows up is to take out the saltshakers in school lunchrooms.

It’s plain to see that young adults abuse privileges; driving, texting, and Facebook are all obvious examples of good things that can be abused. But another overlooked example is salt. You know what I’m talking about, the kids you see tipping the shaker over and letting half the bottle be drained upon their already high sodium fries or Philly cheese steak.

I understand the food may be bland, but does salt make it any better? No, it makes it worse. Greasy, preservative pumped, frozen then unfrozen lunches are unhealthy as is, but add the cup of salt you just poured onto it, and you’re looking at a real health hazard.
A leading health problem in America, according to the CDC, is obesity, and these unhealthy school meals aren’t exactly helping stop the percent climbing ever higher. Add on top the option of letting students put however much salt on their food and you might as well just ask for the 30 extra pounds and heart attack now. It’s a smart and necessary decision to take saltshakers out of school lunchrooms to help prevent high blood pressure and obesity occurring later in life.

Some, however, find this helpful change an outrageous one to be made. Tell me though, does one need salt that badly?

Sodium Chloride is in no way addictive and students can learn to live without it. Just think of how much healthier students’ days have become by the option of salt being taken out of the equation. Young adults should be lining up to thank First Lady Obama for her valiant efforts in helping students become healthier. And really, if you feel like you can’t live without it, just smuggle in your own little saltshaker from home. Remember, “A spoon of salt in a glass of water makes the water undrinkable.”