(AOLHealth.com) — High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is the leading cause of stroke as well as a risk factor for coronary heart disease and kidney disease. The American Heart Association recommends blood pressure levels of less than 120/80. Lifestyle factors such as physical activity, maintaining a good body weight and eating a heart-healthy diet can help keep blood pressure at goal. One specific dietary factor is salt intake.
Salt, or the chemical name “sodium chloride,” is often added with the salt shaker — but most is already in the foods we eat; both in packaged and processed foods, as well as in foods that are eaten in restaurants and “take-out.” For most people, salt consumption should be no more than 2,300 grams a day (about one teaspoon). For those with high blood pressure, that number is even lower at 1,500 grams. On the bright side, many people find that their “taste buds” change after reducing their salt intake and they need less salt on or in their foods.
The article today on salt has the wrong units on suggested daily salt intake. It states 2,300 gm and 1,500 gm but means mg I believe.
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i have recently read that beet juice could possibly lower bp. if this is true , could using red beet powder do the same?
thanks jim
I wish they stopped talking about salt and HBP. There is no connection unless there is a kidney problem. Recylcing the same myths over and over does not help whose who needs help.
The unit of measurment in grams is incorrect! The should be micrograms. If you were to use 1500 grams it would be the equivalent of 3 plus pounds of salt.
The salt content on most food labels is given in mg (milligrams). gm is not a valid metric unit. g (gram) is. One gram is the equivalent of one thousand milligrams (1 g = 1,000 mg). The microgram, which is one thousandth of a milligram, is used on drug labels.
The units of salt intake given is quite incorrect. It should be microgams and not grams.