Diet in High Blood Pressure, Heart Diseases

In high blood pressure, heart disease and oedema, main food to be avoided is salt or sodium chloride. Sodium chloride is present in common salt and in rock salt. Sodium chloride is present in numerous articles including bread, fish, biscuits, pickles, salted food articles, roots and tubers, and to a less extent in milk. Overweight is another contributing factor in causing these diseases and needs correction. Of late, a lot of importance is being given to the serum cholesterol which is partly derived from the dietary saturated fats. The fats of animal origin such as butter and ghee, and the hydrogenated vegetable oils like ‘Dalda’, ‘Pakav’, etc., are examples of saturated fats. Excessive consumption of these may lead to accumulation of cholesterol in the blood vessels and this possibly is the cause of heart disease, paralysis, etc. Therefore, it is advisable to consume more of unsaturated fats like safflower oil (Kardai oil), sesame seed oil (til oil), etc.