A Snarky Rant on Sodium and Blood Pressure

Quick rant today, related to my recent obsession with all things blood pressure (see here and here).  I just found this quote on the CDC website that really steamed my clams...

"Sodium intake from processed and restaurant foods contributes to increased rates of high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke. Decreasing sodium intake to within recommended limits could prevent thousands of deaths annually, because nearly 400,000 deaths each year are attributed to high blood pressure." (1)

To me this is short-sighted, oversimplified, and quite frankly ignorant. Sodium reduction can be a good thing because it often occurs simultaneously with elimination of processed junk, like said "processed and restaurant food". But being all narrow-minded and reducing sodium intake to the level they recommend can be dangerous (2, 3).

There is a better option... We can get the same outcome by simply increasing potassium intake... aka, replacing shitty junk foods with vegetables, meats, fruits, dairy, and starchy tubers (4). And I see no reason not to add a little salt for flavor.

Why, oh why, can't we just teach people how to eat real food?? This would solve so much.  But NO, that's never the answer... let's just encourage everyone to buy low-sodium processed shit... because low-sodium HoHo's are SO much better than regular HoHo's.

We COULD... recommend more potassium, found in fruits, veggies etc., and end up ACTUALLY TEACHING PEOPLE HOW TO EAT FOOD... or we could teach them to look for "low-sodium" on a box of Cheez-Its.

REAL FOOD?
or
low-sodium twinkies.

REAL FOOD?
or
salt-free french fries.


Come on people, get real.  Just eat real food.