The chips you snack on can affect your waistline, and they may have negative effects on your blood pressure. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the average American consumes over 3,400 mg of salt a day, twice the recommended amount. The bag of chips you eat with lunch contains about 10 percent of the 1,500 mg adequate intake level. Eating foods high in sodium sets off a chain of chemical reactions that will ultimately raise your blood pressure.
Sodium and Blood Volume
Your body maintains tight control over its sodium levels in a series of mechanisms that involves your cardiovascular, endocrine and excretory systems. The salt in the chips you eat throws off the balance of sodium and water in the body. To counteract this effect, the body retains water to dilute the extra salt in your bloodstream. This increases the water content of your blood and its total volume. The result is more work for the heart with a higher volume of blood to move through your circulatory system. This action places more pressure within the blood vessels, accounting for your rise in blood pressure.
Health Risks
Your blood vessels are resilient to changes in pressure. However, if you regularly consume salty chips, you don't allow your cardiovascular system to relax fully. This can increase the risk for damage to blood vessels. Over time, you will increase your chances of developing heart disease or suffering a stroke. Heart disease and stroke are the third leading causes of death in the United States. If you reduced high sodium foods like salty chips, you could potentially lower your blood pressure up to eight mmHg. This can mean the difference between normal blood pressure and pre-hypertension.
Calories and Weight Gain
Another health concern with salty chips is calorie intake. A 1-oz. bag of plain chips contains 154 calories. Other varieties may have higher calorie counts. Because of the addictive qualities of fat, you may find it hard to kick a salty chip habit. This can lead to weight gain that is especially unhealthy because chips contain little nutritional value. Like blood volume, increased weight puts more pressure on your cardiovascular system that will be reflected in higher blood pressure. Your added weight puts greater demands on your body for energy and oxygen.
Saturated Fats and Cholesterol
Some types of salty chips may contain high amounts of saturated fats. Excess consumption of saturated fats can lead to high cholesterol levels. This places you at a heightened risk for atherosclerosis or narrowing of the arteries. The reduced diameter of your blood vessels increases the pressure within them. It also increases the risk of a fatal clot. While salty chips may taste good, they carry health risks that you should consider before adding them to your diet.
References
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: Nutrient Data Laboratory
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Americans Consume Too Much Sodium (Salt)
- "Principles of Anatomy and Physiology"; G. Tortora, et al; 2005
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure; August 2004
- "Health Matrix"; The Link Between Fast Food and the Obesity Epidemic; D. Frazier; Spring 2007
- American Heart Association: Know Your Fats
