Nearly half of Americans have high blood pressure. It’s one of the leading causes of heart attack and stroke, and salt is the major culprit. But what if you could still enjoy that savory taste without all of the drawbacks?
Experts are weighing in on the pros and cons of a potential alternative.
Linda Janson of Chino Hills and her husband are always looking for low-sodium meals because, at one time, her blood pressure was through the roof.
“It was scary. It was so high. Every time we went out to eat, I didn’t realize how much salt I was putting on everything,” she said.
“Salt is a major problem,” said Dr. Ali Sovari, Director of Cardiac Electrophysiology at Dignity Health St. John’s Regional Medical Center.
He said that too much salt disrupts our body’s electrolyte balance, which causes fluid retention, which puts excess pressure on blood vessel walls.
“We put more sodium into the body, the body tries to hold more water to keep the same concentration,” Sovari said.
To experience a dramatic drop, Sovari suggests cutting as much salt out of your diet as possible.
“If we can restrict the salt to 500 mg per day, we can decrease our systolic, or the top number of blood pressure, by nine points,” Sovari said.
But, that takes a lot of willpower.
“Just put that salt shaker away,” Janson said.
Is there a way to enjoy that salty taste without raising your blood pressure? One alternative that Janson learned about is potassium chloride.
Sovari said it’s an idea that could work well because in our body’s quest to keep its ionic level stable, adding potassium replaces sodium.
“Every time it gets rid of one sodium, it brings the potassium. Where the potassium comes in, sodium should go out. And that may work very well,” Sovari said.
Still, Sovari said there are downsides. If you eat too much, potassium chloride can start to taste metallic, and too much potassium in people with kidney and adrenal problems could be life-threatening.
“That can cause muscle weakness and even sometimes dangerous rhythm problems in the heart,” he said.
Also, certain blood pressure drugs already increase potassium, so you don’t want to use potassium chloride on top of that. Check with your physician before switching.
“I think I can do without it, but I still would like to try it,” Janson said.
Janson said she will check with her doctor, but she’s fine without any salt and says nothing tastes better than having healthy blood pressure.
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