This Popular 'Healthy' Snack May Be Worsening Your Hypertension, Cardiologists Warn
High blood pressure is incredibly common, affecting nearly half of U.S. adults. Certain medications—thankfully—can help people manage hypertension, lowering their odds of further heart health issues. However, cardiologists emphasize that lifestyle tweaks, particularly dietary changes, are crucial to maintaining blood pressure levels within a normal range."Diet plays a key role because what we eat directly affects blood pressure through mechanisms like sodium (salt) balance, blood vessel health and body weight," explains , the clinical chief of cardiology for Sentara Health. "By making healthy food choices, people can lower their blood pressure naturally, sometimes even reducing the need for medication."Unfortunately, sometimes people think they are making a healthy choice by reaching for certain snacks that can actually make hypertension worse. Cardiologists warn that this one snack has a better reputation for heart health than it should.
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This 'Healthy' Snack Can Worsen Hypertension, Cardiologists Say
Cardiologists warn that people often overlook the high salt content in pretzels, which check other "heart-healthy" boxes. However, they don't recommend consuming tons of pretzels regularly if you have high blood pressure (or want to avoid it). "Pretzels have a misleading image of being healthy because they are low-fat—they contain less than 2 grams of fat per serving," shares , the chair of cardiology at JFK University Medical Center. "Unlike potato chips, pretzels are baked, which consumers view as a healthier preparation method."Specifically, Dr. Talreja warns that brands that make pretzels typically stamp phrases like "0 grams of saturated fat" on the front of the bag. While the American Heart Association and cardiologists agree that it's important to check the nutrition label for saturated fat, it's not the be-all, end-all clue that a snack is heart-friendly.
"Low-fat foods have been historically touted as 'healthy,'" explains, a board-certified cardiologist at MemorialCare Heart and Vascular Institute at Orange Coast Medical Center. "While there is some truth to this, as saturated fats can be strongly associated with LDL-C levels and fats are calorie-dense and can lead to weight gain, the sodium content, the most important dietary parameter for modulation of blood pressure, may be overlooked. For those who are sensitive to dietary sodium intake, pretzels may not be a healthy choice." Related:
The Problem With Pretzels and Hypertension
The biggest issue with pretzels is that they contain high amounts of sodium, which can worsen high blood pressure. "The biggest consideration of pretzels when it comes to hypertension is the sodium content," Dr. Berg warns. "A single serving of store-bought pretzels can have more than 300 mg of sodium, which is substantial if patients are attempting to minimize their sodium intake and maintain a goal of less than 1,500-2,300 mg daily."Indeed, the American Heart Association recommends limiting sodium intake to 2,300 mg per day, but advises people with high blood pressure to reduce their intake even further—aiming for a maximum of 1,500 mg per day.
"That's less than two-thirds of a teaspoon of table salt total—including everything in packaged, canned, and restaurant foods," Dr. Talreja says. "Sodium can cause your body to retain water, increase blood volume and raise your blood pressure. For people with or at risk for hypertension, high-salt snacks like pretzels can undermine their blood pressure control efforts."To put pretzels in perspective, Drs. Talreja and Feingold both stress that this snack contains around 20% of your daily sodium allotment per serving. Let's double-tap on that for a second.
"As often happens with snacks, people easily can consume two to three servings without realizing it," Dr. Feingold points out.Salt isn't the only hidden heart health risk with pretzels. "Pretzels also are made from white flour, which causes rapid sugar spikes, which can lead to higher blood pressure and vascular inflammation," he reveals.
Related:
A Simple Tip for Salt Intake
The "benefits" listed on the front of food bags can trick us into thinking a snack like pretzels is heart-healthy, when in fact it can worsen blood pressure. Dr. Talreja emphasizes that it's crucial to flip the bag over and has a simple mental math tip to help you determine whether or not to add the snack to your car."A simple guideline is for us to look at the label and calorie information on the back of the box," he says. "If there are more milligrams of salt than calories per serving of a packaged food, it should be considered a high salt product."
Related:
The Cardiologist-Recommended Diet for High Blood Pressure
Cardiologists recommend that people sprint to learn more about the DASH diet for blood pressure control."DASH—Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension—is an evidence-based diet designed to combat high blood pressure through comprehensive nutritional strategies," Dr. Feingold says.Also? The DASH diet isn't about depriving yourself of meals and snacks. Instead, it's all about loading up on delicious foods that support your efforts to control your blood pressure. Dr. Berg mentions that DASH-friendly foods include:
Cruciferous vegetables (Kale, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage)
Spinach
Skinless poultry
Salmon
Low-fat/fat-free yogurt (especially Greek yogurt for added protein content)
Oatmeal
Brown rice
Lentils
Bananas
Bell peppers
Beans
Berries
Related:
3 More Tips for Managing Hypertension
Diet is one pillar of managing hypertension. However, cardiologists agree that a holistic approach, including exercise, stress relief and monitoring, is crucial. Scroll on for three more practical tips for keeping blood pressure levels in a healthy range.
1. Make exercise a habit
You often hear diet and exercise mentioned in the same breath as two keys to a healthy lifestyle and managing chronic conditions. Hypertension is no different."The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes per week of moderate to vigorous physical activity," Dr. Berg says.Dr. Berg says that low-intensity exercise, like brisk walking, counts. You'll simply want to ensure that you're walking "briskly" enough to get your heart rate up and breathing heavier. However, you'll still be able to talk.
2. Reduce your stress through breathing exercises
Yes, stress can raise blood pressure. "Chronic stress elevates cortisol and activates the sympathetic nervous system, both of which increase blood pressure," Dr. Feingold explains. "Deep breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, triggering the relaxation response and immediately lowering blood pressure."He recommends five to 10 minutes of deep, diaphragmatic breathing daily, preferably at the same time to establish a habit.One 2020 meta-analysis in Hypertension found that mindfulness-based stress reduction techniques lowered stress and high blood pressure.
3. Monitor your blood pressure at home
Knowledge is power, and Dr. Talreja says that monitoring blood pressure at home can help you flag issues."Home tracking helps catch changes early and shows whether lifestyle or medications are working," he shares. "The best solution is to start a home log and paper, which you can take with you to the doctor's office...Also, record your heart rate and any unusual events that day, for example, stresses or changes in diet."
Up Next:Sources:
High Blood Pressure Facts. CDC.
Dr. Deepak Talreja, MD, the clinical chief of cardiology for Sentara Health
Dr. Aaron Feingold, MD, the chair of cardiology at JFK University Medical Center
Saturated Fat. American Heart Association.
Dr. Christopher Berg, MD, a board-certified cardiologist at MemorialCare Heart and Vascular Institute at Orange Coast Medical Center
Shaking the Salt Habit to Lower High Blood Pressure. American Heart Association.
DASH Diet: A Review of Its Scientifically Proven Hypertension Reduction and Health Benefits. Cureus.
American Heart Association Recommendations for Physical Activity in Adults and Kids. American Heart Association.
Effect and Acceptability of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program on Patients With Elevated Blood Pressure or Hypertension: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Hypertension.
This Popular 'Healthy' Snack May Be Worsening Your Hypertension, Cardiologists Warn first appeared on Parade on Jul 17, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
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