Since May is National High Blood Pressure Education Month, it is a good time to take a quick look at your heart, blood pressure and the nutritional implications of sodium. 

Every day your heart beats about 100,000 times and pumps close to 2,000 gallons of blood. For a long life, it is a good idea to help it stay in good health.  High blood pressure has been shown to increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes.  Combined with other factors such as obesity, heavy alcoholic drinking and family history, high blood pressure has been correctly called the “silent killer”.  Although there is currently no “cure”, this disease can be prevented or it’s risk greatly reduced with medication and/or good health habits that include exercise and a healthy diet. 

Many studies over the years have shown that sodium plays an important role in blood pressure control.  Some people are more sensitive to sodium than others, but the general recommendation of the American Heart Association is to eat less than 2300 mg of sodium daily.  Most likely, the single largest source of sodium in your diet is the salt shaker.  It can be found in every kitchen and on most dining tables.  Over the years, human beings have grown to love the taste of salt.  Salt is about 40% sodium and 60% chloride.  So how does this translate to something we can use?  Americans do not feel comfortable in thinking of milligrams.  A ¼ teaspoon of salt contains about 600 mg of sodium.  A teaspoon of salt contains 2400 mg of sodium or slightly more than the recommended daily amount.  The taste for salt is a learned taste.  Babies do not like the taste of salt, but are taught to like it through the foods they are fed.  You can lose your taste for salt, but it will take about a month.  It is deliciously surprising what some foods taste like without salt. 

The salt shaker is the easy part to regulate.  The trickier part is determining how much sodium is in the food we eat.  There are many good databases available to those on the internet.  Reading the food label will also supply a wealth of information about specific products.  The nutrition panel will tell you exactly how much sodium is present for each serving.  The sodium guideline set by the FDA indicate that in order for a product to be labeled “Sodium Free” it must contain less than 5 mg of sodium per serving.  To be labeled “Very low-sodium” a product will have less than 35 mg of sodium and to be labeled “Low-Sodium” a product must contain less than 140 mg of sodium per serving.

“Reduced Sodium” means the product has 25% less sodium than is found in the regular product. 

Quick tips to reduce your sodium intake start with selecting reduced sodium, fat-free broths, bouillons or soups.  Avoid canned vegetables with salt.  Avoid adding salt and high sodium products to homemade dishes.  When eating out, ask that your food be prepared without salt.  Learn to use spices to enhance the taste of your food. 

For more information concerning high blood pressure and reducing your sodium intake, call the Registered, Licensed Dietitians at Hill Nutrition Associates, Inc.