If you have high blood pressure, you’re probably aware that reducing your sodium intake is recommended as a way of lowering your blood pressure and reducing your risk of heart disease. There’s a lot of misinformation regarding some aspects of this advice, so sorting the facts from the myths can be tricky. With a bit of research, you can avoid falling for some of the myths about salt intake and high blood pressure.
Sea Salt
According to the American Heart Association, 61 percent of Americans surveyed think that sea salt is lower in sodium than table salt and can be safely used as a salt replacement by those seeking to reduce sodium consumption. This is simply not true. Table salt, kosher salt and most sea salts are chemically identical, and all three have an equal effect on sodium consumption, which contributes to high blood pressure.
Table Salt
Another popular misconception is that the saltshaker is your biggest enemy when you’re fighting high sodium consumption. Forty-six percent of Americans surveyed believed that the salt you sprinkle on your supper is the main contributor to dietary sodium, according to the AHA. In actuality, table salt only accounts for one quarter of the sodium Americans consume. The vast majority of dietary sodium--up to 75 percent--is consumed as an ingredient in prepared foods. The Harvard School of Public Health calls this “hidden salt” and notes that most people probably don’t even realize the high salt content of healthy-sounding foods like Kellogg’s Raisin bran, which contains 24 percent of your daily sodium allotment in a single bowl.
The Facts
Sodium, whether in the form of table salt, sea salt, kosher salt or hidden salt, can lead to high blood pressure when consumed in large amounts. According to the American Heart Association, over 76 million Americans have hypertension, or high blood pressure, which is the number-one cause of stroke. High blood pressure can be present for years without presenting any symptoms, so it’s important to get yours checked regularly.
Considerations
High blood pressure tends to run in families, but if your family history includes high blood pressure, you can still reduce your risk. According to MedlinePlus, studies that claim to find no connection between sodium reduction and heart disease have undergone sharp criticism by researchers for being limited in scope and poorly executed. If you’re seeking to reduce your sodium consumption, be vigilant about reading labels on processed foods, which are the main source of dietary sodium.
