One out of three American adult has highbloodpressure ( hypertension ) . While it ’s a treatable and reversible status , it remains a soundless killer – accord to the American Heart Association , more than 56,000 Americans give-up the ghost fromhypertensionin 2006 , and the number develop importantly higher when we talk about expiry from disease connect to high blood atmospheric pressure , include bosom disease , strokeand kidney disease .
While you may try cutting back on how much saltiness you eat to let down your risk of infection of developing high blood pressing , it ’s not always that easy . myth about salt and atomic number 11 abound . For instance , do you think Strategic Arms Limitation Talks and sodium are the same matter ? have ’s observe out .
5: Salt and Sodium are the Same
This first myth , thatsaltand atomic number 11 are the same , is just that : a myth . Sodium is an of the essence part of saltiness , which is also known as sodium chloride , but sodium is also get in many other places . Sodium is an alkali metal , like atomic number 19 , and is not only used to flavor our foods , but also as a preservative , reaper binder and stabiliser .
It ’s of import to interpret food labels , include both the nutritionary fact – where the amount of sodium in the production is listed – and the ingredients list . Salt is an obvious generator of sodium , but also look for other forms , including any word of honor or phrasal idiom that begins with ' sodium , ' such as atomic number 11 citrate , sodium hydrogen carbonate ( baking soda ) , atomic number 11 benzoate , sodium chloride , Na saccharin and sodium stearoyl lactylate among others . Also keep an heart open for sodium sources that may not be as obvious , such as disodium orthophosphate , monosodium glutamate ( MSG ) and trisodium inorganic phosphate .
4: We Shouldn’t Eat Any Salt or Sodium
Sodium is crucial to our body ’s well being , as long as we have the right amount . Without it , our bodies would n’t be capable to keep the right balance of fluid , which would affect ourbloodpressure , blood book and electrolyte levels . Sodium also help ourmusclesand nerves function by rights . What our bodies do n’t use , we get rid of through oursweatand urine .
A diet without enough Na could lead to diarrhea and fluid passing , and , in life-threatening cases , it may lead to seizures , comatoseness or mental capacity damage . And a diet with too much sodium can cause thirst and , in wicked instances , it can lead to seizure , comatoseness , mental capacity legal injury and dying . For people with increase risk of developing high stemma pressure , or who are living with high stemma pressure , a diet high in sodium can increase the peril of developing bosom disease and kidney damage or suffering a fortuity .
3: Too Much Salt Causes High Blood Pressure
Saltis not the cause of gamey line of descent pressure , but diets high in sodium are an fundamental risk constituent , especially for people who are salt - sensitive or have a kinfolk history or other increase peril for cardiovascular disease . However , this increased endangerment can be impute to short aliment in general .
But even if you have a healthy , balanced diet that ’s depressed in sodium , you may still be at risk for developing hypertension ( as well as virgule and heart disease ) . While it ’s hard to nail the reason why one person develop high blood pressure and another does n’t – in fact , the movement in about 90 to 95 pct of high blood pressure instances is unknown – some factors do put you at peril :
In addition to these jeopardy factor – and notice salt consumption is n’t one of them – your chances of developing eminent blood pressing go up as you age .
2: Foods High in Sodium Taste Salty
Bottom line : We salt ourfoodbecause it tastes salutary , not because we need the additional atomic number 11 . Sodium is an of the essence element of salt , but not all Na - rich foods sample piquant . You would n’t add salt to your breakfast cereal , for example , yet many are gamy - Na solid food ( low - Na foods carry 140 mg or less of sodium per serve ) . Sometimes you ca n’t secernate until you record the nutritional data . One serving ( 1 cup ) of General Mills ' Corn Chex cereal contains 240 atomic number 12 of sodium . Similarly , one wait on ( 1 loving cup ) of Kellogg ’s Corn Flakes contains 200 mg of sodium .
1: Medications Don’t Have a Significant Sodium Content
Indeed , sodium is in the foods we wipe out , but it ’s also in some of the medicines we take . Some over - the - parry dusty medicines , bother relievers ( non - steroidal anti - incitive drugs ) , laxatives and heartburn medicament carry sodium - based ingredients , increasing your day-to-day Na inlet every time you attain for a bottle of antacid . Decongestants , in particular , can be hidden sources of atomic number 11 .
Be sure to show the component list – including the nonoperational factor – and look for sodium - establish factor such as atomic number 11 lauryl sulfate , atomic number 11 propionate , sodium starch glycolate , sodium carbonate ( or bicarbonate ) , sodium saccharine and Na polyphosphate .
