According to the American Heart Association, 1 in 3 American adults has hypertension, or high blood pressure, and 20 percent of affected individuals are unaware of their condition. Among those who know they have high blood pressure, only 70 percent are receiving treatment, and less than half are adequately controlled. Lifestyle changes---exercise, weight loss and salt restriction---are important components of hypertension treatment. Lowering your sodium intake can reduce both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
Sodium Sources
Table salt, which is 40 percent sodium by weight, is only one source of dietary sodium. Even if you don't add salt to your food, your daily menu is replete with sodium. The tissues of all plants and animals naturally contain some sodium, because it is an essential ion in many cellular processes. Food manufacturers add sodium to a wide array of processed foods, including breads, soups, potato chips, crackers, cheeses, lunch meats, sauces and canned vegetables. In addition, sodium is a part of many food and beverage preservatives and additives, such as sodium bicarbonate, sodium propionate and sodium benzoate.
Consumption
In his book, "Staying Healthy with Nutrition," Dr. Elson Haas states that the average American consumes 3 to 6 grams of sodium daily---7.5 to 15 grams of salt. Intakes of 12 grams daily are not unusual. Canadians consume smaller amounts---around 3 grams daily---but a March 2011 review in "Chronic Diseases in Canada" reported that nearly 30 percent of hypertension among Canadians can be attributed to excess dietary sodium.
Direct Benefits
In January 2001 the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension study revealed that both systolic and diastolic blood pressures can be reduced by decreasing dietary salt intake. Furthermore, the benefits of restricting your sodium intake are directly proportional to how much salt you cut from your diet. In other words, the lower your salt intake, the greater the reduction in your blood pressure. Interestingly, this blood-pressure-lowering effect occurs even in people who do not have hypertension, although the reductions in their systolic and diastolic blood pressures are not as dramatic as they are in hypertensive individuals.
Considerations and Recommendation
Hypertension increases your risk for having a stroke, heart attack, heart failure or kidney failure. If your blood pressure is consistently above 140/90---130/80 if you have diabetes---you have hypertension. Reducing sodium consumption is a relatively simple lifestyle change that could lower both your systolic and diastolic blood pressures by 5 to 15 points. Sodium is an essential nutrient, but your body needs far less than the average American consumes. The American Heart Association currently recommends a maximum daily sodium intake of 1,500 mg, or about 3.75 grams of table salt.
References
- American Heart Association: High Blood Pressure---Statistics
- "Staying Healthy with Nutrition"; Elson M. Haas, M.D.; 2006
- "Chronic Diseases in Canada": Dietary Sodium Intake Among Canadian Adults With and Without Hypertension; Y. Shi, et al.; March 2011
- "New England Journal of Medicine"; Effects on Blood Pressure of Reduced Dietary Sodium and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Diet; F.M. Sacks, et al.; January 2001
