The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people with high blood pressure limit sodium intake to no more than 1,500 mg daily. If you have other risks for heart disease, such as diabetes, your doctor may recommend you consume even less sodium. Sea salt can be used on a low-sodium diet, but it contains the same amount of sodium as regular table salt, and needs to be used very sparingly.
Table Salt vs. Sea Salt
Both table salt and sea salt are about 40 percent sodium and 60 percent chloride. Sea salt is less processed and may contain trace minerals from the water where it was collected. These minerals give sea salt different colors and flavors. If you're following a low-sodium diet, treat sea salt as you would any other type of salt. According to MayoClinic.com, chemical composition of sea salt and table salt is similar with the true distinctions reflected in texture, taste and processing.
Sodium and High Blood Pressure
Your body needs sodium -- it's an essential nutrient that helps muscles contract and transmits nerve impulses. It also regulates fluid levels. But a diet high in sodium can lead to swelling, water retention and high blood pressure. Because sodium attracts water, excess sodium in your bloodstream can increase blood volume. Your blood pressure increases the force blood flows through your arteries an can cause damage to your blood vessels. Your heart has to work harder to pump that extra volume through your body, leading to heart disease.
DASH
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services developed a healthy low-sodium diet known as DASH -- Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. Hypertension is the medical term for high blood pressure.The DASH diet emphasizes eating a balanced diet low in sodium and high in specific minerals that work to lower blood pressure -- calcium, potassium and magnesium. It also limits cholesterol and saturated fat which are linked to an increased risk for heart disease. Although not a weight-loss plan, the DASH diet may help you eat more nutrient-dense food and fewer over-all calories, which could contribute to weight loss. Maintaining a healthy body weight will help lower blood pressure.
Sea Salt and Your Diet
The vast majority of sodium in the average diet comes from processed foods. Only about 11 percent of sodium comes from cooking at home or adding salt to food at the table. And sodium does occur naturally in some foods. Limiting packaged, processed foods and eating at freshly prepared meals at home will help eliminate most of the excess sodium in your diet. Using sea salt in your own kitchen can add flavor and interest to your food; and you have control over the amount of sodium added to your food. Using a small amount of sea salt in combination with fresh herbs and spices can help your food taste great while fighting hypertension.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Sea Salt vs. Table Salt -- Which is Healthier?; Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.; Aug 2009
- National Heart Lung and Blood Institute: High Blood Pressure
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Most Americans Should Consume Less Sodium (1,500 mg/day or less)
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension
