Restaurants may not be serving up food that is as healthy as it seems. That’s because according to new research, sodium use has jumped 144 percent in the last five years.

The Los Angeles Times reports that much of the increase is actually in gourmet salts.

“We are seeing more artisan, spice-blended and designer finishing salts being introduced broadly across appetizers, entrees and dessert menus,” said Darren Tristano, executive vice president of Technomic MenuMonitor, which tracks more than 2,000 chains and restaurants.

The paper reports that smaller gourmet salt-selling boutiques are “springing up around the country.”

The report found that even some fast food chains are boasting about using the “chic” salts in their menu items, like Wendy’s “Natural-Cut Sea Salt Fries.”

Photo Credit: Tricia Simpson, via Wikimedia Commons

• Tag: Gourmet Salts, Increased Use, menus, Restaurants, Salt