We all know excess salt in our diet raises our blood pressure. But did you know that Americans have a 90 percent lifetime probability of developing high blood pressure? Even if your blood pressure is normal now, if you continue to eat the typical American diet, you are at risk of acquiring hypertension during your lifetime. In addition to causing 62 percent of strokes and 49 percent of coronary heart disease, high blood pressure also harms other body systems.
The Cardiovascular Side Effects of Salt
In addition to elevating blood pressure, salt has other damaging effects on the cardiovascular system. Research has established such a strong relationship between salt consumption and death from stroke, that it is all not accounted for by salt’s effect on blood pressure. Excess use of salt over time leads to stiffening of the arteries. Recent research also found that blood vessel function is suppressed within 30 minutes of eating a high-salt meal.
