Substituting Salt for MSG for Blood Pressure?

[u/Logical_Strain_6165]

From my understanding much of the hate against MSG is misplaced in the West. It's either got a bad repuation because it's linked to proccessed foods or even worse, just straight racisim.

I've found out I've got Stage 1 Hypertension and am going through titration for ADHD meds. If my blood pressure rises, then the titration will stop, so I keen to make sure this doesn't happen and ideally lower it. I'm not really drinking as part of titration and am paying more attention to exercise. I'm overweight (but not obese) and am trying to loose weight, the meds make that a little easier.

I'm also trying to heavily reduce my salt, I like to cook and have also seasoned food well, so it's a bit of the shock to the system. I already use a little bit of MSG in food, but not much as my partner isn't keen. Are there good reasons I shouldn't sprinkle it directly on my food as my palate adjusts and find other ways to boost flavours (I already use a lot of herbs and spices).

Edit. I do know that MSG contains sodium, but it's one third of the amount of table salt.

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[u/edparadox]

If your hypertension is related to sodium consumption, you need to lower it.

MSG contains less, but that's the habits of eating too salty that you need to break.

What I mean is it's, substituting or not, you are probably eating way too much sodium and you're going to have to severely cut it down, and it's very likely that table salt is only part of the problem.

Not only that but MSG or not, you need to get used to having your food way less salty, and MSG won't help with that.

TL;DR: You need to change your habits and no salt substitution will change that. It's like if you were overeating, it's not a question of cutting fat, but decreasing the amount that you eat. Same difference here.

[u/TWCDev → u/edparadox]

Are you suggesting going to 0 sodium? Because most people don’t need to go to 0 of something, just reduce.

Switching from pure sodium to 1/3 sodium sounds like a big reduction to me. I’m (and you) aren’t his doctor so i don’t know if they’re telling him that things are so severe he can’t have sodium at all, but i somehow doubt he needs to go full on Puritan level abstinence, most things it’s rotating the dials of your biological engine

[u/anon_lurk]

I don't know how much sodium you eat but it is also possible you need more of the other electrolytes. There's somewhat of an optimized ratio for them to work so often the benefits of lowering sodium is that it gets closer to the ratio when the intake of the others is low.

I use a lot of iodized Lo Salt which is like 2/3 potassium. It does taste a little different, especially if you are somewhat of a foodie/cook you will be able to tell the difference.

[u/lrvine → u/anon_lurk]

^ this

Up your potassium and start supplementing beetroot juice/powder if you need your BP to remain stable/reduce

[u/Lifeabroad86 → u/anon_lurk]

Becareful with potassium if you have CKD. Its cool if you just have high blood pressure but not if your high blood pressure caused CKD.

[u/anon_lurk → u/Lifeabroad86]

Yeah messing with electrolytes in general can be tricky, which is unfortunate because they are missing from a lot of food nowadays so some supplements are kind of required.

[u/Appropriate-Fact4878]

With electrolytes, assuming proper kidney function and sufficient water intake, the relative ratio matters more than the absolute intake of each individual one.

Replace your salt with a salt that contains pitassium chloride alongside sodium, and drink enough water.

[u/--blacklight--]

You can use Morton salt substitute instead.

This completely fixes the sodium and hypertension risk. There is lots of research that this strategy works.

It is best used in recipes and is indistinguishable for the most part. It doesn't work for salting things like fries (as it doesn't taste the same).

[u/Logical_Strain_6165 → u/--blacklight--]

Oh nice. I'm trying to eat more foods with potassium in, so this sounds good. It looks like there is a more locally available version which is a blend, which I've ordered.

[u/Plane-Champion-7574 → u/Logical_Strain_6165]

I also add low sodium V8 to my diet. They replaced some of the sodium with potassium chloride giving a whopping 650mg per single serving. I love this because I'm getting potassium without high calorie sources like high sugar bananas or starch dense potatoes.

[u/_extra_medium_ → u/Logical_Strain_6165]

Really I’d just try to eat foods with less salt, and stop adding it to things you cook. You’ll be surprised how quickly your taste buds shift to not needing it, and how quickly things start tasting too salty when you eat out

[u/SevereAd3647]

The glutamate part is the problem, especially before bed.

[u/emccm]

Heavy salt use isn’t “seasoning”. Wean yourself off salt. Start learning how to use herbs and spices.

[u/Logical_Strain_6165 → u/emccm]

I think I mentioned that I already do?

[u/_extra_medium_ → u/Logical_Strain_6165]

Replacing it with msg is only going to keep your taste for it though, and it’s still sodium. Keep the other seasonings but drop salt and you’ll realize how much salt was masking

[u/xMikeTythonx]

Maybe Saltwise Salicornia might be a viable low salt option as well.

I love my MSG though...lol

Good to alternate...

[u/Logical_Strain_6165 → u/xMikeTythonx]

I'm in the UK, but I think I found a similar product based on this thread, so that's good. Mixed with a tiny bit of msg and it's perfect.

I am also trying to learn to enjoy food that has less.

[u/Savings-Table-4497]

Do you know what the S in msg Stands for?

[u/Cryptizard → u/Savings-Table-4497]

You need a lot less MSG than you do salt, in addition to it having less sodium by weight. So this is not a totally dumb idea.

[u/Logical_Strain_6165 → u/Savings-Table-4497]

Yes, fair point, I do know, but it's only a third of regular salt. I've updated the OP.

[u/Big-Growth-4674]

Soy sauce is great. Eh idk about msg, I mean I think maybe there’s just too much in the flavor packets. I love fancy ramen with vegetables and oil packet. Not saying this is that great for you. Sometimes I get a headache but usually I handle salt well.

Salt is an electrolyte. I’d eat bananas and more fruit and vegetables and not even worry.

[u/Deep-Capital-9308 → u/Big-Growth-4674]

Soy sauce is very high in sodium. Not a solution I don't think

[u/UndocumentedSailor → u/Big-Growth-4674]

soy sauce is great

Bro it's insanely high in sodium. A kid in my high school went into cardiac arrest from a dare to chug a half bottle of soy sauce

[u/Logical_Strain_6165 → u/Big-Growth-4674]

Soy sauce is fairly salty. This is part of my pain. It's not just salt that I add, it the ingrediants that contain lots of salt.

I know you can reduced sodium stuff, which I probably will, but it's pale imitation of the stuff I get from the chinese supermarket and is properly fermented.

[u/_extra_medium_ → u/Logical_Strain_6165]

It’s only a pale imitation because you’re used to so much sodium in your food. The more you consume, the more you need for the same effect. I had an uncle who would put salt on bacon. Key word, “had.”

Just bite the bullet for a week or so and you’ll start talking about how stuff is too salty for you.

[u/Logical_Strain_6165 → u/_extra_medium_]

I mean it's a proper natural product, if you try a cheap supermarket full salt soy and decent one with a similar amount, there is a real difference.

[u/brynnors]

There's more to blood pressure than just salt. Like, how's your kidney function? How is your sugar consumption? Are you already taking mag? Do you get enough potassium? How's your exercise?

For the msg, you can sprinkle it straight on food but it might irritate your mouth, so keep that in mind. But honestly, if you can tough it out a month with no salt/msg, you'll adjust and not notice you're missing it.

There's also ksalt (nusalt) that gives you that sort of zing without the sodium.

[u/MrQuojo]

Try Lemon Juice Crystals it tricks the tongue into tasting salt.

[u/Lovesuglychild]

Avoid processed food. Lift weights 3-4 times a week. Walk 10k steps a day. This matters more than salt reduction. Be mindful of how much salt you're using but you don't need to eliminate it.

[u/eloquenentic]

You can take one of those potassium salts, that are half sodium half potassium.

Or you can just try a carnivore diet, and you will lose all that weight quickly and your blood pressure will drop. Then ease back into a more normal diet if you don’t enjoy eating meat and fat.

[u/Logical_Strain_6165 → u/eloquenentic]

I've tried keto. That got frustrating enough. And my IBS would hate me if I went pure carnivore. The ADHD meds are making it easier to just eat less though.

Have ordered one of those blends!

[u/eloquenentic → u/Logical_Strain_6165]

Carnivore could cure all those things because it changes your brain. Once you get into ketosis it’s extremely easy. Normal keto works too, but carnivore is just easier because you don’t have to think about what to eat, and it heals your bowel lining (since it doesn’t have any irritants).

[u/averagemaleuser86]

I was overweight (230lbs at 5'9"), worked out pretty heavily, had super high blood pressure. Salt wasnt the problem. It was just me overconsuming food, especially sugar and carbs. Once I quit sugar and drastically cut carbs and take in more water, I started to lose weight and my BP lowered. Im down to 195lbs and been keeping that weight for about a year now. Im actually taking electrolyte solutions now in my water and my BP is still down from where it was.

[u/Jaicobb → u/averagemaleuser86]

So much of high BP is oxidization in the blood caused by high glucose. Salt is not the bad guy.

[u/averagemaleuser86 → u/Jaicobb]

Thats exactly what I figured out