--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In the first century A.D., Pliny…" description: "\"“In the first century A.D., Pliny estimated that the average Roman citizen consumed only 25 grams of salt a day. The modern American consumes even less..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24a/mark-kurlansky-1988_food_in-the-first-century-a-d-pliny-estimated_1271361.png" --- # In the first century A.D., Pliny estimated that the… ![“In the first century A.D., Pliny estimated that the average Roman citizen consumed only 25 grams of salt a day. The modern American consumes even less if the salt content of packaged food is not included.” quote by Mark Kurlansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24a/mark-kurlansky-1988_food_in-the-first-century-a-d-pliny-estimated_1271361.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24a/mark-kurlansky-1988_food_in-the-first-century-a-d-pliny-estimated_1271361.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/24a/mark-kurlansky-1988_food_in-the-first-century-a-d-pliny-estimated_1271361.png) > ““In the first century A.D., Pliny estimated that the average Roman citizen consumed only 25 grams of salt a day. The modern American consumes even less if the salt content of packaged food is not included.”” [Mark Kurlansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kurlansky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Historical data shows ancient Romans ate modest salt, while modern Americans often consume less unless processed foods are counted. **In simple terms:** Ancient Romans ate little salt; modern diets may hide salt in processed foods. Key Takeaway Be aware of hidden salt in packaged foods. Themes nutrition history diet Mood concerned informative Type educational informative When to use this quote - diet planning - health monitoring - food labeling Key Concepts sodium intake food processing Questions to Reflect On - How much hidden salt do you consume daily? - What steps can reduce hidden sodium? A Different Perspective Processed foods can mask true sodium intake. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American Consumes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-consumes-4075644/) [Consumed 25](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumed-25-4075646/) [Consumes Salt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consumes-salt-4075643/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Grams Salt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grams-salt-3901756/) [Pliny Estimated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pliny-estimated-4075645/) ## Related quotes > [When the average American consumes 43 times as much as the average African, we've got to think that consumption is an issue. 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Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [On Sundays, that's my pig out day and I do the pizza and the beer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-silvstedt/on-sundays-that-s-my-pig-out-day-and-i-do-the-pizza-and-the-beer/) [Victoria Silvstedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-silvstedt/) ## More by Mark Kurlansky > [“A 1670 revision of the criminal code found yet another use for salt in France. 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I would never write about food just as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kurlansky/food-is-interesting-to-me-because-it-s-a-way-of-understanding-culture/) [Mark Kurlansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kurlansky/) > [THE ROMANS SALTED their greens, believing this to counteract the natural bitterness, which is the origin of the word salad, salted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kurlansky/the-romans-salted-their-greens-believing-this-to-counteract-the/) [Mark Kurlansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kurlansky/) > [Religion is a big problem in Israel and the Arab world, but again, the problem isn't religion but political leaders who want to use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kurlansky/religion-is-a-big-problem-in-israel-and-the-arab-world-but-again-the/) [Mark Kurlansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kurlansky/) > [“It is a peculiarity of the English language that while most fish swim in schools, herring swim in shoals, a word of the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kurlansky/it-is-a-peculiarity-of-the-english-language-that-while-most-fish-swim/) [Mark Kurlansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kurlansky/) > [“The painstakingly extracted purple dye was a luxury item of such prestige that the color purple became a way of showing wealth and power.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kurlansky/the-painstakingly-extracted-purple-dye-was-a-luxury-item-of-such/) [Mark Kurlansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kurlansky/) > [Don't forget the Vietnam War was brought to us by Democrats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kurlansky/don-t-forget-the-vietnam-war-was-brought-to-us-by-democrats/) [Mark Kurlansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kurlansky/) > [So much of what I write in fiction is based on true stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kurlansky/so-much-of-what-i-write-in-fiction-is-based-on-true-stories/) [Mark Kurlansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kurlansky/) [Explore all 193 Mark Kurlansky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kurlansky/) ## More Food quotes > [On Sundays, that's my pig out day and I do the pizza and the beer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-silvstedt/on-sundays-that-s-my-pig-out-day-and-i-do-the-pizza-and-the-beer/) [Victoria Silvstedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-silvstedt/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. 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You do know that right?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-ashworth/my-god-joseph-your-toasted-sandwiches-are-the-fucking-shit-you-do/) [Beth Ashworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-ashworth/) > [I feel like I could eat the world raw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/i-feel-like-i-could-eat-the-world-raw/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [To me, Caribbean food is about fresh, seasonal produce - using what's in season to create vibrant and great tasting food. The spicing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ainsley-harriott/to-me-caribbean-food-is-about-fresh-seasonal-produce-using-what-s-in/) [Ainsley Harriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ainsley-harriott/) > [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. 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