Download Salt Dangers Beyond Blood Pressure

Salt: Dangers Beyond Blood Pressure
A new review paper titled “Dietary Sodium and Health: More Than Just Blood Pressure”
published in the March 17, 2015 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology
proves that having normal blood pressure does not mean that you can ignore how much salt is in
your food.
Effects of salt on the arteries include poorer functioning of the inner lining of blood vessels (the
endothelium); these cells are important because they help to mediate coagulation, platelet
adhesion, and immune function. Eating too much salt can also lead to stiffening of the arteries.
Consuming a lot of salt can lead to enlargement of the muscle tissue that makes up the wall of
the heart’s main pumping chamber; this can result in a heart that cannot pump as forcefully as it
should. The bottom line is that the heart may still be negatively affected by salt intake, even if
blood pressure is normal.
Sodium can negatively impact the kidneys and may also damage other organs via its interaction
with the sympathetic nervous system.
Remember that nearly three-quarters of the sodium in our diet comes from processed foods,
including breads, cereals, condiments, and snack foods. If you eat at a restaurant, you will almost
undoubtedly consume more sodium that you would if you cooked a meal at home.
Some of the most common high-salt foods include:
 Anchovies
 Bacon
 Baked beans
 Biscuits
 Breakfast cereals (some)
 Cheese
 Chicken that is breaded (tenders, nuggets)
 Flavored noodle or rice dishes
 Frozen entrees
 Frozen vegetables with sauces
 Gravy
 Ham
 Luncheon meats
 Olives
 Pasta sauce
 Pizza
 Salami
 Salted nuts
 Sausage
 Soup
 Soy sauce
 Stock cubes and bouillon
References and recommended readings
Farquhar WB, Edwards DG, Jurkovitz CT, Weintraub WS. Dietary sodium and health. J Am Coll
Cardiol. 2015;65(10):1042-1050. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2014.12.039.
Review Date: 4/2/15
Contributed by Elaine M. Hinzey RDN, LD/N