Salt Reduction Means Lower Blood Pressure

Question by Brynn V. (Minneapolis, MN)
Posted on December 21, 2006

My doctor told me that I have high blood pressure. He suggested that I decrease my intake of salt. Do you have any suggestions?

Amy's Answer

Amy Bragagnini, MS, RD, CSO, is a registered dietitian and…Read Full Bio

Decreasing salt intake is a good start to helping fight hypertension, or high blood pressure. This can be a difficult process if you are used to using table salt and eating a lot of high sodium foods. If this seems too hard at first, try adding a dash of salt in the kitchen, but keep the shaker off the table. Make trade-offs; if there is one “must-salt” food for you, eliminate salt from another food where you won’t miss it as much.

Read labels carefully to find hidden sodium. Look at the ingredient list; note where salt appears in the list. If it’s near the top, the level is relatively high. Nutrition labels also list sodium content in milligrams (mg) per serving; compare different brands when possible.

In cooking, use alternatives to salt and salty ingredients. Experiment with other flavorings, herbs, and spices when cooking at home. Try sage, tarragon, curry, garlic or lemon when cooking poultry or fish. Brighten the taste of cooked vegetables by adding lemon pepper, oregano, and rosemary.