A new Chinese study found that replacing Table Salt (Sodium) with a salt substitute rich in Potassium, such as Mushrooms, Lemon, and Seaweed, contributes to reducing high blood pressure in the elderly, without leading to low blood pressure attacks.
New News - Health
Reducing sodium levels in the diet is one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure, which is known as the “silent killer.”
Yangfeng Wu, Executive Director of the Clinical Research Institute at Peking University, said in a press release:
The results of the new study show significant progress in maintaining blood pressure, providing a way for people to protect their health and reduce their risk of cardiovascular risk, all while being able to enjoy the perks of adding delicious flavor to their favorite meals.
Sodium Substitutes Contribute to Lowering Blood Pressure
The study, whose results were published in The Journal of the American Medical Journal, included 611 people aged 55 years in China. The average age of participants was 71 years, and three-quarters of them were men.
The experiment was applied to half of the participants randomly to replace regular salt with other alternatives, with the remaining participants continuing to use regular salt.
The salt substitute contains 25% potassium chloride (which has been shown not to raise blood pressure), and 12% dried food ingredients such as mushrooms, lemon, seaweed, hawthorn and jujube, in addition to traces of beneficial amino acids.
Dr. Maria Carolina Delgado Lelievre, an assistant professor of medicine at the Miller School of Medicine at the University of Miami who was not involved in the new study, said:
By mimicking the taste of Sodium without its harmful effects, salt substitutes provide a healthy mechanism for adhering to proper dietary controls and achieving better health outcomes.
The researchers found that after two years, people who used the salt substitute were 40% less likely to develop high blood pressure than those who used regular salt.
Can We Completely Dispense with Table Salt?
Sodium, the essential element in the salt composition, is vital for our bodies, as without it they cannot maintain their fluid balance. It is essential for transporting oxygen and nutrients within the body, and with it, nerve impulses are triggered between cells. Therefore, doctors recommend that an adult consume no more than six grams of salt daily.
Nutrition experts stress the necessity of distinguishing between salt and sodium when reviewing the ingredients of foodstuffs listed on product packages, as salt consists of sodium and chloride ions, and in every 2.5 grams of salt there is about a gram of sodium.
According to data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly half of adults in the United States suffer from high blood pressure, which increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Thanks for reading this story on New News Business! Share it and 📩 Subscribe to our newsletter.
Source: Healthline, ACC
