Put the pinch on salt to reduce hypertension

Reducing your salt or sodium intake is an important step in reducing hypertension or high blood pressure.  When was the last time you had your blood pressure checked?   Do you ask and do you know what your blood pressure is?  These are questions everyone should have answers to.  It is often referred to as “the silent killer” as it often has no warning signs or symptoms.  That’s why it’s important to have it checked regularly and why it is always checked at any visit to a doctor’s office.

When your blood pressure is taken, always ask what it is.  Blood pressure is given in two numbers – as an example, 110/70 mm Hg.  The top number, in this case 110, is the systolic pressure – the pressure in the arteries as the heart is contracting – and the bottom number, in this case 70, is the diastolic pressure – the pressure in the arteries when the heart is relaxed between beats.  High blood pressure or hypertension is when the systolic pressure is repeatedly elevated at 140 or higher or a diastolic pressure of 90 or higher. 

Hypertension matters to our health as it puts you at greater risk of having a heart attack, stroke, chronic heart failure, kidney disease and early death.  One out of every 3 adults or 70 million Americans have high blood pressure with only about half of them having it under control.  Both men and women are at risk.

This article will focus on the dietary risk factor of consuming a high-sodium diet.  Sodium attracts water drawing it into the bloodstream, increasing the volume of blood which raises your blood pressure forcing the heart to work harder.  Salt is the main source of sodium in the American diet.  Often the more salt you consume, the higher your blood pressure will rise.  Let’s test your sodium or salt savviness to help you reduce the amount in your diet.

Does salt/sodium mean the same thing?

The answer is no.  Even though the two words are often used interchangeably, they have different meanings.  Salt is a crystal-like compound abundant in nature and helps flavor and preserve food.  Salt is composed of one part sodium and one part chloride.  Therefore, sodium is a mineral and is one part of the two chemical elements found in salt.

Is sodium a necessary mineral for the human body?

 The answer is yes.  Sodium maintains the water balance in our cells, assists nerve transmission and muscle function, controls the body’s acidity and aids in the absorption of glucose.  The problem is we tend to get too much of a good thing.

What is the average daily consumption of sodium for Americans age 2 years and older?

A.   2000 mg

B.   2500 mg

C.   3400 mg

The correct answer is “C,” more than 3400 mg a day.  The current Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 recommends no more than 2300 mg of sodium a day for most Americans.  However, some people should consume no more than 1500 mg daily.  They include: people age 51 and older, African Americans, and anyone with high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney problems.

Where does the majority of sodium Americans consume – more than 75% - come from?

a.     Processed food and restaurant meals

b.     What we put on our food from a salt shaker

c.      Fresh produce

The correct answer is “A.”  Seventy-five percent comes from packaged and restaurant food, 12% comes from what naturally occurs in food and 11% comes from adding salt to food while cooking or at the table.  The following foods make up more than 40% of our sodium intake:

·         Bread

·         Cold cuts or cured meats

·         Pizza

·         Fresh and processed poultry

·         Soups

·         Sandwiches like cheeseburgers

·         Pasta dishes

·         Cheese

·         Snack foods such as chips, pretzels, and popcorn

Why is there so much sodium or salt in our food?  Salt adds flavor, acts as a preservative which inhibits food-borne pathogens, binds ingredients, enhances color and gives food a firmer texture.

Can a food be high in salt and not taste salty?

The answer is yes.  Always check the Nutrition Facts Label for the sodium content of food products and choose food with less sodium.  Foods containing 35 mg or less per serving are very low sodium; if the food contains 140 mg or less per serving it is considered low sodium.

Which of the following risk factors besides sodium, place a person at risk for increasing hypertension, possibly leading to a heart attack or stroke?

a.     Age

b.     Family history

c.      Being overweight or obese

d.     Physical inactivity

e.      Stress

f.       Smoking

g.     Excess alcohol intake

h.    Low consumption of potassium, fruits and vegetables

i.       All of the above

The correct answer is “I,” all of the above.  The older we get, the more likely we’ll develop hypertension.  More than half of people aged 55-74 have hypertension and three-fourths of people aged 75 or older have it.  Know your family health history for hypertension.  Carrying excess weight can increase blood pressure making the heart having to work harder.  A weight loss of just ten pounds can bring about a significant reduction in blood pressure.  Become more physically active to help reduce blood pressure.  A recommendation by the Surgeon General is for adults to engage in moderate-intensity physical activity for 150 minutes each week.   Drinking alcohol excessively is associated with hypertension.  Moderation is the key – no more than one drink per day for a woman or two drinks per day for men.  Stock up on low sodium foods like fruits and vegetables.  High potassium foods such as bananas, potatoes, honeydew melons, beans and yogurt can also help lower blood pressure.

2300 mg of sodium per day is the maximum amount adults should consume.  How many teaspoons is 2300 mg equal to?

a.     ½ teaspoon

b.     1 teaspoon

c.      2 teaspoons

The correct answer is “B,” 1 teaspoon.  Most adults consume 2 to 3 teaspoons of salt (4,000 to 6,000 mg of sodium) each day.  This greatly exceeds the maximum amount recommended, placing them at a higher risk of developing hypertension.

Ways to reduce sodium in your diet

Reducing the amount of salt or sodium in your diet is an important step in decreasing your risk of hypertension.  Here are some ideas to get you started:

·         Start by checking for the amount of sodium in food.  Read the Nutrition Facts Label which lists the Percent Daily Value (% DV) of sodium in one serving of food.  The % DV for sodium is 100% of the recommended amount of sodium which is less than 2400 mg per day.  Five % DV (120 mg) or less of sodium per serving is low; 20% DV (480 mg) or more of sodium is high.  Choose items with no more than 140 mg of sodium per serving . 

·         Make food from scratch.  This puts you in control as to how much salt you put in your food.

·         Use herbs and spices instead of salt for flavoring.

·         Limit the amount of processed foods.  But fresh or frozen lean meat, poultry, and fish instead of luncheon or deli meats, sausage or bacon.

·         Rinse canned foods such as vegetables, beans and tuna to remove much of the sodium content. 

·         Look for snack foods that are marked “low sodium” or “no-salt-added” but also check what the % DV is for sodium as they won’t necessarily be sodium free. 

·         Condiments such as ketchup, salad dressings, and soy sauce are very high in sodium.  Choose the “no-salt-added” or lite or reduced sodium alternatives.

·         Reduce your salt intake at restaurants.  Choose lower-sodium options, ask for the meal to be prepared without salt and have sauces and salad dressings served on the side.

·         Follow the DASH diet – DASH stands for “Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension” and is considered an excellent method of helping to lower hypertension without medication. 

So remember, using just a small “pinch of salt” will go a long way to keeping blood pressure normal and cardiovascular disease at bay. 

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ABOUT CHERYL MUSSATTO

REGISTERED DIETITIAN

Cheryl Mussatto MS, RD, LD is a registered dietitian and an adjunct professor at Allen Community College, Burlingame, Kansas and Butler County Community College, Council Grove, Kansas; she teaches Basic Nutrition and Therapeutic Nutrition.  She is also a certified health and wellness coach, and a clinical dietitian for the Cotton O’Neil Medical Clinic in Osage City, Kansas where she does individualized nutrition counseling.  She writes Eat Well to Be well, a column about health and nutrition forwww.osagecountyonline.com  and is a blog contributor for Dr. David B. Samadi at www.samadimd.com.  Contact her at eatwell2bewellrd@gmail.com, visit her website www.eatwell2bewellrd.com, or like “eat well 2 be well” on Facebook.