The Salty Side: Sodium May Instantly Damage Your Arteries

A new study may have you thinking twice before you pop open a bag of potato chips or supersize a French fries order. The study found high-sodium foods can damage arteries within 30 minutes of eating them even for those with normal blood pressure because they rapidly stop blood vessels from dilating.

"The important thing about the study is that it adds to the evidence that sodium has both immediate and chronic effects on blood vessels," Dr. Sahil Parikh, an interventional cardiologist at University Hospitals Case Medical Center, told AOL Health.

Scientists found that after eating salt the blood vessel function changed, indicating early-stage atherosclerosis, a condition where fat builds up in the blood vessels, which can lead to heart attacks and strokes.

"High-salt diets are discouraged because they are a root cause of hypertension," Parikh said. "This study confirms our belief that patients with cardiovascular disease should consume a low-sodium diet."

But it's not just those with cardiovascular diseases that should lay off the sodium according to the United States Department of Agriculture. The new dietary guidelines say Americans should decrease their sodium intake from 3,400 milligrams a day to 2,300 milligrams to help fight obesity and other health problems plaguing the country.

Visit AOL Health to read more about the negative effects of sodium.