Diet is an essential pillar in preventing or reducing hypertension, the most common chronic disease. The Dash diet has been proven to work. It emphasizes high fiber fruits and vegetables and limits salt and fat.

It is proven that the DASH diet (for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), similar to the Mediterranean diet, is the most effective in keeping normal blood pressure or lowering it if it is too high. It even promotes weight loss and lowering LDL-cholesterol levels, for the benefit of cardiovascular health.

The principles of the DASH diet
Increase your intake of potassium, magnesium, antioxidants and fiber by eating more vegetables and fruits (8 to 10 servings per day), whole grain foods, oil seeds, and dried fruits and vegetables (4 to 5 servings per day). week).
– Reduce saturated fat, favoring semi-skimmed or lean dairy products, fish, poultry and lean meats (maximum 2 servings per day), as well as vegetable oils (2 to 3 tablespoons / day),.
– Limit sweets as much as possible (drinks and sugary products): less than 5 servings per week.
– Limit to 2.5 g of salt / day maximum.

Guidelines for monitoring your salt intake
Why does too much salt increase blood pressure?
– Salt over-activates the sympathetic nervous system, which controls the body’s autonomic activities. In reaction: the heart and the arteries contract more.
– It triggers the production of hormones by the adrenal glands which causes an increase in blood pressure.
– It promotes water retention in the kidney. Instead of being eliminated, this water goes back into the bloodstream, increasing blood volume, and therefore blood pressure.
– It promotes weight gain, especially in the abdomen, a risk factor for hypertension. Since abdominal obesity itself stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, a vicious cycle sets in.

What is a gram of salt?
There is an average of 1 g of salt in:
1 C. mustard
1 C. 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
2 tbsp. level tablespoons of ketchup
3 black olives or 5 green olives
1 slice of raw ham
1 slice of smoked salmon or trout
2 slices of ham or chicken breast
3-4 surimi sticks
4 slices of dry sausage or chorizo
1 brioche or 1 pastry
1 small bowl of store-bought soup or vegetable juice
30-40 g of cheese
1 bowl of crisps or appetizer cookies (60 g)
1 / 6th store-bought pizza
80 g of salted bread, i.e. 1/3 of a baguette or 4 slices of cut bread
125 g canned tuna or sardines
150 to 200 g canned vegetables, drained

6 tips for eating in case of hypertension

• Cook yourself as much as possible, favoring raw products (meat, fish, fresh or frozen vegetables, etc.).
• Limit the use of bouillon cubes, which each provide between 1 g and 2 g of salt depending on the brand: “If they are essential in a recipe, add only half of it instead of a whole. “
• Avoid accumulating savory products on the same day: “We have the right to indulge ourselves with a ½ pizza at noon, as long as this is taken into account for other meals. “
• Replace salt with spices, aromatic herbs, ginger, garlic, onions … “Don’t hesitate to mix things up until you find the ones you really like. “
• Read the labels: “If the sodium content is indicated, multiply it by 2.5 to get the salt value. “
• Prefer still water and favor sparkling water low in salt (less than 50 mg of sodium per liter): Perrier, Salvetat, San Pellegrino.