CSPI and Sodium: If the Suit Fits

You have to give the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) credit for doing their part in this unsettled economy: They certainly are trying to keep the lawyers in business. Their latest legal salvo to save us from ourselves and our own poor judgment and bad habits involves suing Denny’s restaurants for excess sodium in their menu items. The lawsuit is asking Denny’s to put the amount of sodium in each meal on the menu along with a warning about high sodium levels.

The short story is that an individual with high blood pressure has filed a class-action suit with CPSI’s support. According to CSPI’s release, the plaintiff and Denny’s customer, Nick DeBenedetto, “takes a prescription medication to control his high blood pressure and at home does not cook with salt or use the salt shaker. Some of his favorite Denny's items, such as Moons Over My Hammy or the Super Bird turkey sandwich, contain far more than 1,500 mg of sodium… ‘I was astonished—I mean, literally floored—to find that these simple sandwiches have more salt than someone in my condition should have in a whole day,’ DeBenedetto said. ‘It's as if Denny's is stacking the deck against people like me. I never would have selected those items had I known.’"

Personally I am astonished―no, literally floored―that anyone, particularly someone with hypertension, doesn’t know that a ham, cheese and egg sandwich, for example, is really, really high in sodium. And if he couldn’t be bothered to find the nutrition information (Denny’s current nutrition facts booklet on the web is dated 7/24/09, but I assume they’ve had some form available at least since local governments mandated restaurant nutrition information), perhaps the salt taste sensors located on his tongue could offer a clue.

Here are my suggestions for Mr. DeBenedetto and his litigatious ilk:

1) Denny’s does offer oatmeal, fresh fruit, yogurt and plain salads for those who are interested in healthy eating.

2) Check to see if you qualify for a Darwin Award 

I know what some of you are thinking: “She’s just a tool of the vast agro-industrial-complex conspiracy.” But if the comments at Slashfood are any indication, I’m not alone in thinking this is a silly waste of taxpayer’s money. And of Denny’s money also―instead of hiring people to develop healthier menu items, they can spend it on lawyers.

   -Lynn A. Kuntz