HIGH blood pressure symptoms range from a severe headache to chest pain, but a lot of them will go unnoticed. Left untreated it can lead to more serious health problems such as heart attacks and strokes. What you eat can affect high blood pressure, and experts urge people to avoid eating foods with high salt levels, such as tinned soup.
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, affects more than one in four adults in the UK.
Particular foods in your diet can have a negative impact on high blood pressure, such as those that contain high levels of salt.
Blood Pressure UK states eating too much salt is the biggest cause of high blood pressure and an adults should eat no more than 6g of salt a day.
Most of the salt we eat every day is hidden which means it’s already in processed foods like bread, biscuits and breakfast cereals, and prepared ready meals or takeaways, and tinned soups are another surprising food people with high blood pressure should avoid.
While tinned soups are easy to prepare especially when you need to save time or you are not feeling well, they are filled with sodium. The same goes for canned and packaged broths and stocks.
Nutritionists at Health line say some soups can have almost 900mg of sodium in just one serving, which is typically a 1/2 cup.
The site states: “If you consume the entire can, you’ll be taking in 2,225mg of sodium. Low-sodium and reduced-sodium options are available.
“But a better option is to keep the salt in check by making your own soup from a low-sodium recipe.”
According to the charity, this hidden salt accounts for around 75 per cent of the salt we eat – only 25 per cent comes from the salt we add while cooking or at the table.
Frozen pizza is another food that should be avoided.
The site explains: “All pizzas can be bad for people watching their sodium intake. The combination of cheese, cured meats, tomato sauce, and crust adds up to a lot of sodium. But frozen pizza is especially dangerous for people with hypertension.
“To maintain flavor in the pizza once it’s been cooked, manufacturers often add a lot of salt. One serving of a frozen cheese or meat-and-cheese pizza can contain as much as 982 mg of sodium, sometimes even more. The thicker the crust and the most toppings you have, the higher your sodium number will climb.”
What other factors can put you at risk of hypertension?
The NHS lists eight other factors; age (the risk of developing high blood pressure increases as you get older), a family history of high blood pressure, being of African or Caribbean origin, a lack of exercise and being overweight or obese.
Regularly drinking large amounts of alcohol, smoking and long-term sleep deprivation can also be risk factors.
Certain foods could help to lower your risk of hypertension.