. Sodium intake and hypertensio n A high intake of table salt is considered to be a causative factor for hypertension. Salt is sodium chloride where sodium makes up percent of the sodium chloride. Both sodium and chloride are essential for maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance and thus blood pressure.
This balance gets disturbed when the salt intake is excessive leading to fluid collection in tissues of the body especially that of the feet and hands. This condition is called “oedema”. A sodium- restricted diet is recommended to alleviate this condition. When the sodium content in the diet is reduced, the water and salts in the tissues flow back into the blood to be excreted by the kidneys.
Thereby, oedema is relieved. UNIT - - - NUTRITION IN HYPERTENSION AND CARDIO-VASCULAR DISEASE Besides table salt, other sources of sodium include sodium bicarbonate in baking powder and baking soda, sodium benzoate (preservative added to sauces), sodium citrate (flavour enhancer), monosodium glutamate (MSG - additive used in Chinese cuisine), sodium alginate (texture enhancer in ice creams), sodium propionate (used in processed cheese, bread etc to inhibit growth of mold) and sodium sulphite (added to prevent discolouration of dried fruits). Fig . Oedema of the feet .
Sodium restricted diet A sodium-restricted diet is a regular diet in which the amount of sodium is limited. Such a diet is used to reduce oedema and hypertension. Most individuals obtain far too much sodium from their diets. The main source of sodium is table salt.
The American Heart Association ( ) recommends no more than , milligrams (mg) of sodium a day and an ideal limit of less than , mg per day especially for those with high blood pressure. Diets that are very low in sodium must be used with caution since it may deplete the body’s sodium content to dangerously low levels. Symptoms associated with low blood sodium levels (Hyponatremia) include weakness, cramps, lethargy, lack of appetite, nausea, irritability, restlessness, headache and confusion. Foods that are limited or avoided in a sodium restricted diet include processed meat, processed cheese, canned