People with high blood pressure should have a diet low in ____.

• A. Sodium
• B. Fat
• C. Sugar
• D. Cholesterol

Answer: (A)

Reducing sodium helps lower blood pressure because sodium holds onto water in the body. When you eat more sodium, your body retains more fluid, which increases the volume of blood and the pressure in your arteries. Cutting back on sodium reduces fluid workload on the heart and helps lower blood pressure. So the nutrient to limit for this condition is sodium. Fat, sugar, and cholesterol affect overall heart health and weight, but they don’t influence blood pressure as directly or consistently as sodium does. Following a plan like the DASH diet, which emphasizes fresh foods and lower sodium, can support better blood pressure management. You can further help by choosing herbs and spices instead of salt to flavor foods.