Salt is a very valuable part of our diet and has been used for many thousands of years as a preservative and to add taste to our food. Indeed, in spite of the fact that many people in the West take salt for granted, in a large number of countries it is a vital economic commodity and many people will no doubt remember the important role played by salt in ending British rule in India in the middle of the twentieth century.

It is an unfortunate fact however salt can also be a major contributory factor when it comes to the problem of hypertension.

Salt is a compound composed of sodium and chloride and when we are considering hypertension it is the connection between sodium and high blood pressure which is important and the quantity of sodium which we consume needs to be watched.

Initially it might seem that controlling your salt intake is merely a question of monitoring the quantity of salt which you put into your food when cooking and which you put on your food at the table. But, the true problem lies in the fact that most of the sodium in our diet is found in the processed foods which most of us buy and consume every day.

To ensure that you minimize your risk of high blood pressure you have to keep your intake of sodium below the government’s recommended daily intake figure of 2,400 milligrams and here are a few tips to assist you in putting together a high blood pressure diet:

1. Remove salt from your table. As long as you are getting a properly balanced diet your food will contain sufficient salt without any requirement to add more when eating, so remove the salt from your table.

2. Learn how to read food labels when shopping. Food labeling laws markedly in recent years and the majority of foods now carry nutritional information which includes the quantity of sodium which the food contains. You must read the label very carefully though as often the sodium figure shown will apply to the whole pack or tin and sometimes it will only apply to an individual serving. Food labels can help a lot in picking foods that lower blood pressure.

3. Choose low sodium or sodium free products. An increasing range of foods today come in low sodium or sodium free options and, whenever possible, you should purchase these over the regular product.

4. Eat low salt snacks. Most of us like to snack but try to eat things such as fruit and vegetables and, if you find that you cannot live without crisps, purchase varieties which are low in sodium or salt free.

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