A study conducted on 1,000 individuals by the American Heart Association showed that 61 percent of people surveyed incorrectly agreed that sea salt is a low sodium alternative to table salt. If this survey result accurately reflects American's knowledge of this mineral, Americans have a lot more to learn about sea salt. When choosing between these two minerals, sea salt is no better than table salt for managing high blood pressure.
Sea Salt vs Table Salt
One advantage of sea salt is that it undergoes less processing than table salt, leaving it with more trace minerals such as calcium and potassium. Both sea salt and table salt have 590 mg of sodium per ¼ teaspoon. This is the most critical piece of information when comparing their effect on high blood pressure. The United States Department of Agriculture recommends that people with high blood pressure get no more than 1,500 mg of sodium per day. When combining your sea salt intake with sodium from other sources such as processed and unprocessed foods, your daily sodium intake can add up quickly.
Sodium Sources
According to the USDA, most Americans get their sodium from processed food, not table- and sea-salt intake. These foods include burgers, rice and rice mixed dishes, soups, yeast breads, cold cuts, pizza and condiments. On average, Americans eat too much sodium. According to NHANES survey data from the years 2007 to 2008 show that American Caucasians aged 20 and over ate an average of 3,478 mg of sodium per day, blacks on average ate 3,270 mg of sodium per day and Hispanics consumed an average of 3,269 mg of sodium per day. These results show that the American diet is full of sodium.
High Sodium Intake - Consequences
When blood pressure is consistently high for a long time it can begin to damage the walls of your blood vessels putting you at risk of incidents such as heart attack, stroke and kidney disease. Many people with hypertension are on a medication to lower their blood pressure to avoid the health outcomes associated with this disease. A low-sodium diet that consists of lean meat and dairy, and plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains is advised for these individuals. A high-sodium diet, coupled with other factors, such as intense stress or sedentary lifestyle can bring blood pressure into a high range even if you are taking medication to control this condition.
Limiting Sea Salt Intake
Sea salt and table salt contain a considerable amount of sodium per serving. It's better to use both of these minerals sparingly if you have high blood pressure. In addition to monitoring your intake of these substances daily by reading food labels, add herbs and spices such as garlic powder, onion powder and oregano to your food when cooking or at the dinner table to spice up your meal. These seasonings contain no sodium and add their own unique flavoring to food. Additionally, the University of Maryland Medical Center reports that garlic may lower blood pressure.
