According to Dr. James DiNicolantonio in The Salt Fix , there is no credible evidence that a salt-restricted diet resolves hypertension in the vast majority of people, nor does it prevent heart disease or stroke. In fact, salt restriction seems to predispose us to such conditions as insulin resistance , Type 2 diabetes , elevated cholesterol and triglycerides , abnormal workloads on the heart, and kidney disease.
And a meta-analysis of over 6, patients found there was no link between salt intake, high blood pressure and risk of heart disease. In fact over 17 different studies worldwide have found NO direct relation between moderate salt intake and the incidence of stroke or heart attack. The consumption of salt around the world for the last years has remained in the range of 1. This amount of salt in the diet seems to be universally preferred for taste as well.
In contrast, the American Heart Association AHA recommends that Americans get no more than about one teaspoon of table salt —mg of sodium per day—though many healthy experts around the world feel the AHA standard is both too low and too hard to maintain. In a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association JAMA , researchers found that a moderate sodium intake of between mg and mg 1. The study also found that high intake of more than mg sodium or three teaspoons of salt per day, was associated with an increased risk of stroke, heart attack and other cardiovascular events.
To avoid too much refined salt—and the additives in it—avoid prepared, processed foods as much as possible, and be careful to check the labels of the foods you do buy. Moderation is key in all things. Natural whole salt has been used as a primary medicine for thousands of years. With just adequate natural salt and pure water alone, conditions like muscle cramps, hyponatremia, water retention and edema can disappear.
Just like you might choose to nutritionally upgrade from white flour to whole grain or coconut flour, or from white sugar to raw honey, it makes good sense to upgrade from refined salt to natural salts which contain magnesium and other essential minerals in a form our bodies can readily use. Not only do natural salts contribute to a healthy diet in a way refined salts cannot, they also just taste better.
Unrefined, natural salts are not white and dry; they are typically colored by the trace minerals in them, and often feel damp.
Some natural salts are pink, grey, yellowish or even black to reflect the diverse mineral sources they come from. Each type of natural salt has its own unique flavor to experiment with. In fact, multiple studies show there are microplastics in 90 percent of all the table salt brands sampled worldwide, Microplastic levels were highest in sea salt, followed by lake salt and then rock salt. As a result of consumer concern about this problem, a lot of salt companies are testing their salts for microplastics, and are making efforts to filter their salt and assure customers of the quality of their products.
Look for brands that mention their microplastic filtering and testing efforts on their labels or websites, and choose safer salt products accordingly. My favorite low-plastic and additive-free natural salt is Redmond Real Salt , which is from an ancient seabed in Utah that has tested very low in microplastics.
By following a healthy, whole foods diet and eliminating processed foods, you will drastically reduce excess sodium in your diet. Therefore you can confidently follow your own natural taste for salt when preparing your food. In other words, there are few good reasons to deprive yourself of salt—especially if you use a natural, additive-free salt that contains the minerals we need for good health!
Like many dietary recommendations that were changed once we had better data, our beliefs surrounding salt need to be re-examined. So, pass the shaker, and enjoy it without worry! Your email address will not be published. No criticism here, thanks for enlightening me and carry on.
As I read this article I accept it as opinion rather than fact. Many of the claims in this article are contrary to my own life experiences. I would caution readers to get their information from reputable sources such as doctors, colleges, research institutions and the like.
Credible sources for sure. Keep in mind that one of the goals of this article is to expose you and I to advertising. It is my opinion that this article does more harm than good. I am a 64 year old, with a mother and a wife in the medical profession.
I am however, not an expert on salt. I always encourage my readers to use primary sources for their information; I am just a reporter, which is why I have quoted several doctors and linked to studies and books throughout the article.
I merely quote the opinions of experts who, in this case, have evidence and professional opinions that go contrary to conventional wisdom and mainstream processed food propaganda, which is one of the purposes of this site. The purpose of the article is NOT to expose you to advertising. The purpose of the advertising is to make it possible to expose you to this article. Have a good day, sir. The logic you used to make your case was entirely faulty and only suggested that you had trouble reading the article itself; discounting it as opinion purely on the basis that it challenges conventional wisdom you hold near and dear to your heart.
If you are going to speak in an intelligible manner with the aims of helping others, rather than merely talking to validate your own beliefs, please put forth the same amount of consideration and thought for the issue as the author has done.
Please do not take this as a personal attack but instead a gentle and caring reminder to think before you speak while also being mindful of your intentions regarding communication with others. This sort of attitude will only help us figure out what is causing the spectrum of health problems that so many individuals are experiencing today in the western world.
Thank you kindly good sir, for expressing the same thoughts that I myself have. It is becoming quite exhausting to wade through such articles, hoping that I will find some semblance of unbiased, objective information, sadly, it is the case that nearly every article I have found on alternative foods, medicine and the like, have done just that, subjected their readers to false information, or worse yet, unhealthy information… Glad there are other willing to call out this sort of behavior.
You really need to check the details before you publish. I work it out to be 4. Organic material itself is not mineral. What a big pile of unsubstantiated BS. Minerals also help strengthen bones, prevent muscle cramping, improve circulation, and even maintain healthy blood pressure. Some say they may even enhance kidney and gallbladder health and even boost libido.
And even though we only use natural salt as a flavoring, when it comes to trace minerals, every little bit helps! By choosing unaltered, unrefined natural salts, you can feel confident that, if used in moderation, they can actually benefit your health—and provide your taste buds a real treat.
Personally, I love the tastes of both sel gris and Himalayan pink salt—they make excellent finishing salts. And sea salt is great for cooking and baking. I encourage you to try them all to see which taste and texture you prefer. Or, better yet, find a high-quality salt blend that contains different salts from around the world, like my Vervana Savory Salt Blend. Birth Month For Special Offers!
New subscribers only. Compared to normal cells a , cells that contain too little salt b lose water, and cells that contain too much salt c draw in more water than they can sustain and may burst.
Sodium is the major positive ion in bodily fluids, so its concentration determines the total concentration of solutes—called the osmolarity—in these fluids. When two fluids with different osmolarities are separated by a membrane, then water tends to flow through the membrane to equalize the concentrations. Through a process called osmosis Fig. Figure 2. Osmosis is the spontaneous movement of solvent here, water molecules through a semipermeable membrane from a region of low concentration of solute here, sugar molecules.
The end result is that the solute concentrations are the same on both sides of the semipermeable membrane. In the case of bodily fluids, the fluid inside cells is separated from the fluid in the blood. So, if the osmolarity of blood is not balanced with the osmolarity inside cells, the total volume of liquid in the cells may increase or decrease.
Salt is excreted through urine and through sweat. Because salt is excreted from the body, it must be constantly replaced. However, most people choose to continue eating salt, even when their needs have been met. Could people benefit from consuming higher levels of salt for reasons scientists do not yet understand? Some researchers suggest that high salt consumption is merely a habit learned in childhood or, possibly, an addiction.
Others suggest that evolution has given people a taste preference for salt, even when they do not need it. If you are athletic and eat a low-salt diet, you may be getting too little salt. However, if you eat a lot of processed foods, you may be getting more salt than you need. As is probably clear to you by now, scientists and the medical establishment have not yet agreed on the optimal amount of salt people should get, but for most people, moderation is a good option.
You can estimate your daily intake of salt by paying attention to the nutrition labels on food. Some foods, including ready-to-eat foods such as items from the deli or bakery, are not required to have nutrition labels. If you eat a lot of these foods, or a lot of restaurant foods, it is harder to count your salt intake.
However, you can find nutrition information for many restaurants, and deli and bakery items. MyFitnessPal www. Blood tests can confirm your blood sodium level. If you discover that you eat too much salt, try to cut back on high-salt foods or add little or no salt to your food at the table. If food lacks flavor, you can try adding spices or herbs instead. Ballantyne, C. Sodium Na in Blood. Helmenstine holds a Ph. She has taught science courses at the high school, college, and graduate levels.
Facebook Facebook Twitter Twitter. Updated September 08, Featured Video. Cite this Article Format. Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph. What Is Table Salt? Pure Substance Definition in Chemistry. Freezing Point Depression Example Problem. Common Chemicals and Where to Find Them. An Overview of Commercial Lithium Production. Molecular Formula for Common Chemicals. Chemical Composition of the Human Body. Your Privacy Rights.
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