Whether it’s cold cuts, turkey slices, bacon strips, or roast meat, if it’s from the deli it has likely been cured, seasoned, or otherwise preserved using a great deal of salt. Deli MeatĪny form of processed meat should be avoided, since deli and lunch meats, including bacon, are extremely high in sodium-around 600 milligrams or more per two ounces of meat. Most frozen shrimp choices contain high levels of sodium ranging from 100 to 500 milligrams in each three-ounce serving. These products also may have added salt for freshness and can affect the salt and blood pressure relationship, for the worse. Frozen Fish and Seafoodįresh fish have low sodium levels, while frozen fish can have high salt levels due to the freezing preparation process of using brine, oil, or syrup. While the blood pressure levels rose significantly in all participants, those who did not usually have caffeine showed higher than expected blood pressure levels. Energy drinks have been shown to raise blood pressure levels high enough to be thought a risk for serious heart conditions.Ī Mayo Clinic study compared the blood pressure and heart rate levels of 25 people ranging in ages from 19 to 40 years before and after drinking one energy drink. These flavored drinks contain large amounts of both sugar and sodium. Energy DrinksĮnergy drinks are a popular choice for younger generations, as they may offer a more instantaneous source of energy than a cup of coffee or other caffeinated beverages. To control sodium intake and still enjoy eating out, request the dish be made with no added salt and have spices used for flavoring. This can also apply to the specialty places that offer low-fat meals.Īn appetizer and starting drink alone can contain more sodium than the recommended daily amount, and this is before an entrée is consumed. Whether it is a fast-food spot or a high-end restaurant, many dishes on the menu have hidden high-sodium content. Processed foods usually have additional salts added to maintain usability beyond a present time frame.
A frozen pizza may contain up to 1,000 milligrams of sodium in one-sixth of the total make-up of the pie. Pizza and Processed Foodsįresh and frozen pizza and other processed foods have large amounts of sodium, especially with additions such as tomato sauce, cheese, meats, and the dough. Both should be limited, if not avoided, for high blood pressure patients. Any recommended amount given for table salt based on personal use also applies to sea salt. Sea salt does, however, contain the same chemical amount of sodium as table salt at 40% content. Sea salt also requires less processing for use. This may be because a measuring utensil holds less of the larger-sized sea salt crystals.
Sea salt is used as a substitute for table salt in preparing meals and as a flavoring for table use. It also separates naturally occurring sugars from those found in pre-packaged foods such as high-fructose products.ġ4 Foods to Avoid that Raise Blood Pressure 1. These types of food have little-to-no nutritional value.Ī study published in the British Medical Journal suggests that, while more research and focus should be placed on blood pressure and sugar, there is evidence that sugar may be a bigger factor than sodium when it comes to high blood pressure risks. Spikes in blood pressure may occur following the consumption of refined carbohydrates, such as the sugars found in processed foods. While the sodium-blood pressure connection is well established, another key factor may be the amount of sugar a patient with high blood pressure risk ingests from a variety of foods. That being said, some amounts of sodium are necessary for blood pressure and blood volume management, just not in excess. This is because the pressure of blood flow against the vessel walls increases with the larger volume of water that sodium attracts. When discussing foods that contribute to high blood pressure, much attention has been placed on blood pressure and salt (or sodium) content of meals. Some foods can raise blood pressure quickly after eating them, while others only cause minor gains.Ī few foods only raise low blood pressure, meaning that they don’t have much of an effect unless your blood pressure is at a certain level, so you can eat them without much worry unless you are hypotensive (in which case you’d likely want something that works to raise blood pressure faster than food).