Why is it that I can add salt, liberally, to the food I prepare but can’t have any sodium in processed foods without suffering a headache and pounding in my head? I’m guessing that these symptoms are indicative of my blood pressure rising, ( I’m not on any medication, although my doctor says that I have borderline hypertension). I assume that it has something to do with the processing? As an example, I have issues with canned fish. Even though the sodium content is relatively small and its “wild caught” and all that good stuff. What gives?
In: Biology
It’s quite possible you’re not salting your food as liberally as you think you are (compared to how much sodium is in processed food).
Most canned fish and other seafood, to use your example, are extremely high in sodium. Canned tuna, for instance, has around 100-120mg of sodium per ounce of fish. Eating a big tuna sandwich or tuna salad that uses an entire small 3oz can adds in about 360mg of sodium to whatever else you ate that day. So if you’re borderline hypertension that extra dose of salty food might be all it takes to give you symptoms.
As far as your body is concerned sodium is sodium. There’s no real difference if you shake it on or it is included in salty crackers you eat because there’s no salt equivalent to anything like simple or complex carbohydates or types of sugars.
Wild take here, carbohydrates. Majority of studies about sodium and hypertension relation were done on diets including fair amount of carbohydrates. When Im on keto, my blood pressure goes down almost magically, but I love those carbs :/
Eventhough its known “fact” that high salt intake is tied to high blood pressure, it effects ppl differently and isnt the main contributor to CVD(that would go to cholesterol).
Deeper I dig into science behind nutrion, more confused I get…
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