High blood pressure/hypertension is a medical condition in which blood pressure persistently remains equal to or above 140/90 mm of Hg. A reading of 160/100 mm of Hg indicates severe hypertension. It is very important to keep BP in normal range using medicine, diet and lifestyle changes to prevent its deteriorating effect on body.
Diet plays very important role in managing blood pressure. Even if you are taking medicines to control blood pressure but not avoiding food rich in sodium then you might not be able to maintain BP in normal range. If a person is suffering from high blood pressure then he/she must take sodium lesser than 2 grams in a day.
Here is a list of food items that are high in sodium content and contribute to elevate blood pressure. If you are taking low sodium diet, then avoid all these sodium rich food items.
- Food with high Sodium content
- Table salt (one teaspoon = 2 gm of sodium)
- Monosodium glutamate MSG, soy sauce
- Sodium saccharin, baking soda/ powder, sodium benzoate
- White bread, pizza, burger, chicken nugget
- Pickles, regular canned soups, canned milk, batter mixes
- Seasonings with salt viz. Garlic salt, Onion salt, peanut butter, salted butter
- Sauce viz. chili, pasta, pizza, tomato, Taco, meat
- Salted popcorn, salted nuts, French fries, potato chips
- Processed cheeses, parmesan, cheese spreads, salted butter
- Sodium containing Antacids
- Eno fruit salt
- Salty or smoked meats, Sardines, Tuna, salmon, and chicken, sausage, Bacon, preserved meat