A low-salt diet paired with a meal plan rich in fruits, vegetables and other healthful foods can significantly lower blood pressure, new research shows. A study by Harvard University scientists says trimming sodium intake can be as effective at lowering blood pressure as medication, particularly when accompanied by a closely controlled diet.
Hypertension is linked to heart attacks, strokes and other serious health problems.
A well-balanced diet, together with low salt intake, can be particularly helpful. In the late 1990s, scientists reported that eating lots of fruit, vegetables, grains, low-fat dairy foods, and a diet that favored poultry and fish over red meat, could significantly reduce blood pressure. Elements of the DASH diet, including eating foods low in cholesterol and saturated fats and rich in calcium, potassium and other important nutrients, became part of national guidelines for blood pressure control. The latest study, published in the Jan. 4 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine , focused on whether limiting sodium intake would lower blood pressure beyond the effects of a DASH regimen. For all three salt levels, subjects on the DASH diet lowered their blood pressure more than those in the control diet group, the researchers found.