Around a third of people in the UK have high blood pressure. Hypertension, which is another term used for this condition, rarely causes noticeable symptoms. Many people might have high levels without even knowing it, the NHS explains. The only way to find out your blood pressure is by having it checked.
Generally, it can be difficult to pinpoint what causes high blood pressure, the health service states.
However, there are certain things and risk factors that may make you more prone. These can range from your diet and lifestyle to ethnicity.
The “ideal blood pressure” is between 90/60 millimetres of mercury (mmHg) and 120/80mmHg.
One thing which could be raising your blood pressure is salt.
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The simple everyday ingredient which can make or break a meal is “the single biggest cause of high blood pressure”, according to Blood Pressure UK.
The charity explains that the more salt you have, the higher your blood pressure will be.
The tricky thing about salt is that it’s often hidden in the foods we buy.
So, you might not even know how much you’re actually eating.
How does salt raise blood pressure?
Salt makes your body hold onto water.
If you have too much of this ingredient, your body will store extra water in your blood which then puts pressure on your blood vessels.
This process ultimately causes hypertension, Blood Pressure UK explains.
If you’re already a high blood pressure sufferer, salt will even further raise your levels which may prevent your blood pressure medicine from working properly.
How much salt can I eat?
The NHS reports that adults should eat no more than six grams of salt in a day.
Six grams represents around one teaspoon. However, most people eat more than that, the blood pressure charity adds.
In fact, research shows that people eat around eight grams of salt daily.
Blood Pressure UK shares: “Most of the salt we eat is hidden in the foods we buy ready-made, like bread, biscuits, breakfast cereals, sauces and condiments, as well as ready meals and takeaways.
“This hidden salt accounts for around three quarters (75 percent) of the salt we eat, only a small amount comes from the salt we add while cooking or at the table.”
One way to tackle this problem is to read the labels on foods you buy and opting for the ones with the lowest salt content.
Cutting back on foods like cheese, processed meat, olives, condiments and cooking sauces can also help.
Also, the one thing you can control is how much salt goes into the meals you prepare yourself.
These simple modifications can help control your salt intake and may lower your risk of high blood pressure.
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