Youve likely heard of sweet tooths, but perhaps youre more of a salt lover. And who can blame you? Salt can make a boring dish vibrant with just a dash or two.

First, the good news: Sodium is actually essential for the body, andthe Food & Drug Administrationsays it helps muscles and nerves function. If it tastes good and does the body good, whats all the fuss about salt and blood pressure?

Heres the deal:Studies show that high-sodium diets put a person at risk for increased blood pressure. High blood pressure reduces the flow of blood and oxygen to your heart, which ups the risk for heart disease, according to the CDC.

That may seem scary, particularly if you love salt and have high blood pressure. High blood pressure is common, says Dr. John Higgins, MD, a cardiologist with UTHealth Houston. Nearly half of all adults in the U.S. have hypertension.

So, the answer is yes: Cutting sodium intake can help reduce the risk of hypertension. Heres why.

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Dr. Higgins notes that high salt intake increases blood pressure for several reasons. First, salt increases fluid retention and, consequently, blood volume. [This means]more fluid for the heart to pump, more stress on the heart and more fluid in the blood vessels that puts pressure on the walls, Dr. Higgins explains.

Salt intake can also lead to damage to the blood vessel walls, inflammation and kidney damage. This is because excess salt intake can increase your blood pressure thanks to a disruption of balance within the kidneys, saysDr. Robert Segal, MD, the founder of Manhattan Cardiology, Medical Offices of Manhattan and co-founder of LabFinder.

The kidneys typically filter fluids. However, salt-induced fluid retention may make that more challenging. Then, the heart has to work harder, and blood pressure increases. And it becomes a vicious cycle between kidneys and high blood pressure.

The American Heart Associationalso notes that hypertension is a risk factor for kidney damage and disease because damaged arteries cannot bring enough blood to kidney tissue,

The TL;DR: Too much salt intake harms the relationship between the kidneys, arteries and heart and increases your risk of several chronic conditions, including high blood pressure and kidney disease.

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Dr. Higgins notes that the American Heart Associationguidelines suggest no more than 2,300 milligrams daily. Ideally, adultsparticularly those with high blood pressureshould limit sodium consumption to less than 1,500 milligrams per day.

He says that the average U.S. adult eats 8 gramsor 8,000 milligramsevery day. Thats nearly 3.5 times the suggested limit of 2,300 milligrams per day.

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Processed and packaged foods are generally higher in salt intake,says Dr. Segal. But itsnot just classic processed or packaged foods, like chips and pretzels. Dr. Higgins notes that foods with high salt content include:

Dr. Higgins says some foods clearly have a ton of saltyou can taste it. But salt can be sneaky since its even used as a preservative in some foods. Your best bet? Read the label. But what qualifies as low, moderate or high salt content? Dr. Higgins breaks it down here:

So, if a bottle of ketchup has 190 milligrams of salt per teaspoon serving,[Thats] 1.1 gram per 100 grams [or] high salt content, so consider eating only occasionally, Dr. Higgins says.

Aside from crunching numbers in your head, Dr. Higgins says that there are straightforward ways to shake your salt habit, including:

If youre concerned about your salt intake or blood pressure, Dr. Segal says a cardiologist or even primary care doctor can help you figure out the right treatment plan and low-sodium meal plan for you.

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Worried About Salt and Your Blood Pressure? Here's What ... - The Georgia Sun