FN moms, you may want to check the nutritional information of the pre-packaged savory snacks you’re about to buy for your kids, as according to a study featured on ScienceDaily.com, a packet of what you think is healthy may actually have too much sodium in it.

A food product is considered high in sodium if it has more than 210 mg in one serving. Unfortunately, almost 75 percent of snacks usually given to infants and toddlers have too much salt. The US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) gathered data from 1,115 commercial foodstuffs for children and found that even certain baby food labels are over the 210 mg borderline. Several snacks, including toddler meals, even go as high as 630 mg per serving, which is 40 percent of the 1,500 mg daily limit that the American Heart Association recommends.

Lead author Dr. Joyce Maalouf thinks that this is very worrisome. "Our concern is the possible long-term health risks of introducing high levels of sodium in a child's diet, because high blood pressure, as well as a preference for salty foods may develop early in life. The less sodium in an infant's or toddler's diet, the less he or she may want it when older," she shares.

So before purchasing any pre-packaged meals for your child, check out the nutritional facts label and compare them with other brands to find out which has the lowest sodium content. Better yet, why not go with homemade meals or fruits and vegetables? This way, you know that what your child puts in his mouth is what’s best for him.

(Photo by Eric Fleming via Flickr Creative Commons)