General Mills to cut sodium by 20 percent by 2015 in some products

General Mills to cut sodium in some products

PORTLAND, Ore. — General Mills Inc. says it will cut the amount of sodium by 20 percent in a number of its cereals, soups, snacks and other products by 2015.

General Mills, which makes foods such as Cheerios cereal and Progresso soup, is the latest of several major food makers to reduce the salt in its foods as regulators and consumers push for healthier products.

The company, based in Minneapolis, said Tuesday that the reductions will affect about 600 items — roughly 40 percent of its products.

Health experts say Americans eat too much salt, the vast majority of it in processed food. That excess is dangerous because salt contributes to high blood pressure, which can lead to stroke, kidney disease, heart disease or heart failure.