High Blood Pressure Warning: Watch Out for These Salty Foods

A list of foods with hidden salt that could be contributing to your high blood pressure

Most people with high blood pressure think they’re doing a good job cutting down on their salt intake simply by sitting down for a meal and not reaching for a salt shaker. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. That’s because most of the salt we consume is hidden in the ingredients used to increase the shelf-life of processed and fast foods. Some salty choices, like potato chips, are obvious, but others you may not be aware of.

The next time you reach for something to eat, make sure it’s not full of hidden salt. To help you steer clear of some of the worst offenders, I’ve put together this partial list of products that are loaded with it. Avoid them if you want to lower your blood pressure.

High-Salt Foods to Avoid

• Canned and dried (packaged) foods, especially soups
• Potato chips, pretzels, saltines
• Salty or smoked meats—bacon, bologna, corned beef, luncheon meats, sausage—canned meats, and pickled meats
• Salty or smoked fish—anchovies, caviar, herring, and sardines
• Pickles and sauerkraut
• Salted nuts
• Olives
• Processed cheese and cheese spreads
• Macaroni and cheese
• Canned vegetables and vegetable juices
• Ketchup and tomato sauce
• Soy sauce
• Frozen pizza
• Fast food chicken
• Dill pickles

WATCH: The High Risk of Eating Processed Foods If You Have High Blood Pressure

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