“The biggest challenge is that sodium hides in places most people don’t expect,” says Dr. Lisa Young, PhD, RDN, an adjunct professor at NYU. “Most of the sodium Americans eat doesn’t come from the salt shaker, but from packaged and restaurant foods.” That’s the theme running through most of what actually drives blood pressure up through diet — it’s rarely the obvious stuff.
Key Takeaways
- Processed meats, canned foods, and frozen meals are among the biggest hidden sodium sources in a typical diet — often hundreds of milligrams per serving before you’ve added anything yourself.
- The AHA recommends capping sodium at 1,500 mg a day if you have hypertension, and saturated fat at under 6% of daily calories.
- One item on this list surprises most people: licorice. Its active compound, glycyrrhizic acid, can raise blood pressure even in people with previously normal readings.
- These are dietary changes meant to work alongside medical treatment, not replace it — talk to your healthcare provider before making major changes if you’re on blood pressure medication.
1. Processed Meats
Lunch meat, hot dogs, sausage, and pepperoni should be eaten infrequently. Salt is the primary ingredient used in meat curing, which is why these foods are such major sodium contributors. “These foods are consistently ranked among the top sodium contributors in the American diet and are also linked to higher cardiovascular risk even beyond their salt content,” Young says. A 3-ounce smoked sausage link contains 8.3 grams of saturated fat and 774 mg of sodium — nearly half the daily sodium limit for people with hypertension. Even lighter-seeming options aren’t off the hook: a single slice of deli turkey carries 227 mg of sodium, which adds up fast once you factor in bread, cheese, and condiments.
2. Condiments
Ketchup, soy sauce, and salad dressings can be surprisingly high in sodium and added sugar, even when they don’t taste especially salty or sweet — and light or fat-free versions are sometimes worse, since removing fat often means manufacturers add extra sodium to compensate for lost flavor. One tablespoon of regular soy sauce contains 878 mg of sodium; even the reduced-sodium version still carries 511 mg. A tablespoon of ketchup has 160 mg of sodium and 4 g of sugar, and 2 tablespoons of Italian dressing packs 320 mg of sodium and 4 g of added sugar — numbers that add up quickly since most people use more than a tablespoon. Seasoning with herbs, spices, citrus juice, or vinegar instead is a straightforward swap.
3. Canned Foods
“Soups have the highest sodium density per calorie of any packaged food category,” Young says. “A single serving of many popular canned soups packs 600-900 mg of sodium or more, which can be nearly half the daily ideal limit in one bowl.” Canned vegetables and beans carry the same risk in smaller, easier-to-miss amounts. Rinsing canned beans under water before cooking can cut their sodium content by up to 40%, according to dietitian Lisa Andrews, RD.
4. Ultra-Processed Snacks
Chips, crackers, packaged baked goods, and frozen packaged meals have become everyday household staples, and that’s part of the problem. “Excess sodium, added sugar, and saturated fats are frequently found in heavily processed foods, which are popular because they’re convenient, affordable, and widely available,” says Dr. Brynna Connor, MD, a family medicine physician in Austin, Texas. People who eat the most ultra-processed food face a nearly 50% higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Preparing simple meals at home with whole ingredients, and checking for short ingredient lists, are practical ways to cut back without eliminating convenience entirely.
5. Fast Food
“Fast food such as burgers, fried chicken, pizza, and fries are problematic because they’re loaded with sodium, unhealthy fats, and excess calories, which can contribute to weight gain, higher blood pressure, and a higher risk of heart disease and cardiac events when consumed frequently,” Connor says. One popular fast-food chicken sandwich contains 21 g of fat, 4 g of saturated fat, and 1,410 mg of sodium — nearly the entire daily limit for someone with hypertension in a single item. A grilled chicken option from the same category of restaurant can run as low as 3 g of fat and 440 mg of sodium, showing how much variation exists within “fast food” depending on what you order.
6. Frozen Meals
A typical frozen meatloaf, potato, and vegetable dinner delivers 1,890 mg of sodium and 10 g of saturated fat — exceeding the daily hypertension sodium recommendation and providing nearly a full day’s worth of saturated fat in one tray. Even meals marketed as “healthier” can mislead: one teriyaki chicken and rice meal from a popular diet brand still contains 1,040 mg of sodium. Cardiologist Dr. Sirisha Vadali, MD, recommends comparing labels and choosing options under 600 mg of sodium per serving — which lines up with the FDA’s own recommendation to limit meals and main dishes to under 600 mg of sodium.
7. Licorice
This is the one item on this list most people don’t see coming. Licorice contains glycyrrhizic acid, a compound that interferes with the body’s ability to balance fluids, causing fluid retention and increased blood pressure — and it can do this even in people with previously normal readings, not just those who already have hypertension. This risk applies to real licorice candy, licorice tea, and herbal blends containing licorice root or extract; check ingredient labels for “licorice root,” “licorice extract,” or “glycyrrhiza.” If you enjoy the flavor or use licorice for other reasons, deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) has the concerning compound removed and doesn’t carry the same blood pressure risk.
8. Sugary Beverages
A study tracking 25,000 children over 25 years found that those who drank two or more sugary drinks a day had a 52% higher risk of developing high blood pressure. A single 12-ounce can of soda contains 37 g of added sugar, already exceeding the AHA’s recommended daily limits of 36 g for men and 25 g for women in one drink. “The high sugar content in sugary beverages can contribute to insulin resistance, inflammation, weight gain, and diabetes, which are all issues that can lead to high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease,” Connor says. Water, sparkling water, unsweetened tea, or fruit-infused water are reasonable substitutes.
9. Alcohol
Alcohol can temporarily raise blood pressure and may interfere with blood pressure medications; regular long-term drinking also contributes to weight gain, which independently raises hypertension risk. “There is a strong, dose-dependent relationship between drinking and elevated blood pressure, especially above three drinks per day,” Young says. If you do drink, keeping intake to no more than one drink a day for women or two for men is the standard guidance, though the AHA notes that abstaining entirely supports better blood pressure control.
The Takeaway
Diet is one of the more controllable levers in managing high blood pressure, but it works best as a pattern of small, sustainable swaps rather than a list of forbidden foods — reading labels, cooking more meals at home, and rinsing or choosing low-sodium versions of canned goods can meaningfully cut your sodium load without requiring dramatic lifestyle changes. None of this replaces medical treatment; it’s meant to work alongside whatever your healthcare provider has already recommended.
Sources: Drakeford, K. (2026). “9 Foods to Limit or Avoid if You Have High Blood Pressure.” Everyday Health, medically reviewed by Maya Feller, MS, RD, CDN. Quoted experts: Lisa Young, PhD, RDN (NYU); Brynna Connor, MD; Sirisha Vadali, MD; Lisa Andrews, RD. American Heart Association sodium and saturated fat guidance; U.S. Food and Drug Administration sodium recommendations.