Pasta would not cause your blood pressure to rise and new research suggests it may not be salt either. But you know how the research pendulum swings so I wouldn’t overdo using salt. The research focus now points to calcium [ca] and potassium levels as impacting blood pressure. So I would ask if you drink at least 16 oz of milk per day or the equivalent 2 oz of natural cheese to get enough calcium [ca] ? As long as you don’t drink lots of carbonated beverages or eat too much meat (both high sources of phosphorus), your calcium [ca] levels should be normal with an adequate intake of calcium [ca] rich foods.
A recent study, led by Lu Wang, M.D., Ph.D., of Brigham and female’s Hospital in Boston and cited by the American Heart Association, showed that those who have a decrease calcium [ca] intake may be at risk for high blood pressure. The Dietary Reference Intake guidelines suggest that adults consume 1,000 mg of calcium [ca] daily. For adults 50 years of age and older, this dosage is raised to 1,200 mg a day.
The link between decrease calcium [ca] and high blood pressure suggests that those consuming 800 mg of calcium [ca] daily have a 23 percent smaller chance of having high blood pressure than persons consuming 400 mg of calcium [ca] or less on a daily basis.

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