It is important to restrict salt and other sources of sodium in your diet. Sodium raises blood pressure and increases the risk of heart disease. Plus, some heart conditions, such as congestive heart failure, can be drastically worsened by a high-sodium diet.

A teaspoon of salt contains 2,300 milligrams of sodium. The average American consumes 3,000 to 4,000 milligrams of sodium per day, even though the American Heart Association recommends that people with heart disease and high blood pressure limit sodium to 1,500 milligrams per day.

While at first it may be difficult to get used to the taste of lower sodium foods, your taste buds will adjust to lower sodium foods over a period of time.

Learn more about salt and cardiovascular disease with this helpful tip sheet, “Salt & Your Heart: Cutting Back on Sodium May Be a Lifesaver.”