Do you have high blood pressure? Or are you at risk for developing high blood pressure? Many people keep their blood pressure at safe levels by eating less salt.
The sodium in your body, which comes mainly from salt, plays a vital role in regulating fluids and blood pressure. Studies show that for some people, a high sodium intake is associated with higher blood pressure.
- There is no way to tell who might develop high blood pressure from eating too much salt. However, consuming less salt or sodium is not harmful and can be healthy for you.
- High salt intake increases the amount of calcium excreted in the urine. When your body loses calcium, your risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures is higher. By eating less salt, you can help reduce the loss of calcium from your bones.
Is Lowering Salt Intake Safe?
- Eating too little salt is not generally a concern for healthy people. If you are being treated for a chronic health problem, ask your doctor first if it is safe for you to reduce your salt intake.
- Some table salt is fortified with iodine, a necessary nutrient. But just a small amount, about 1/4 teaspoon of iodized salt, gives you more than half your daily iodine allowance.
- Your body can adjust itself to prevent too much sodium loss when you exercise heavily or when it is very hot. However, if you plan to reduce your salt intake, and you exercise vigorously, decrease your salt intake gradually.
Salt Is Sodium
- Salt contains sodium. Sodium is a substance that affects blood pressure.
- Salt (sodium chloride) is the main source of sodium in foods.
- The best way to cut back on sodium is to cut back on salt, salty foods and salty seasonings.
- When reading a Nutrition Facts label, look for the sodium content. Foods that are low in sodium (less than 5 percent of the Daily Value or DV) are low in salt.
Only small amounts of salt occur naturally in foods. Most of the salt you eat comes from foods that have salt added during food processing or during preparation in a restaurant or at home. Some recipes include table salt or a salty broth or sauce, and some cooking styles call for adding a very salty seasoning such as soy sauce. Not all foods with added salt taste salty.
Alternatives to High-Sodium Foods
If you find yourself continually eating more than 100 percent of the Daily Value for sodium each day, consider these lower sodium alternatives. For labeled items, check the %Daily Value for sodium; try to select foods that provide 5 percent or less per serving.
| Instead of: |
Eat: |
| smoked, cured, salted, and canned meat, fish and poultry |
unsalted fresh or frozen beef, lamb, pork, fish, and poultry |
| regular hard and processed cheese, regular peanut butter |
low-sodium cheese, low-sodium peanut butter |
| crackers with salted tops |
unsalted crackers |
| regular canned and dehydrated soups, broths and bouillons |
low-sodium canned soups, broths and bouillons |
| regular canned vegetables |
fresh and frozen vegetables and low-sodium canned vegetables |
| salted snack foods |
unsalted tortilla chips, pretzels, potato chips, nuts and popcorn |
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