Salt: Friend or foe?
If you want to be healthy, you are not doomed to suffer through bland, unsalted veggies! A little bit of quality salt is essential for optimal functioning of the body, helping to regulate hydration, muscle and adrenal function, and the pH level of the blood.
And even though salt supports our health, many people fear salt due to warnings from health agencies, government bodies and dietary guidelines that consuming salt will increase blood pressure, thus increasing the risk of strokes and heart attacks.
Despite these claims, a causal relationship between salt and high blood pressure and heart disease has not been scientifically proven. On the contrary, studies show that a diet that is too low in sodium is associated with higher blood pressure, increased insulin resistance and stress hormones like adrenaline in some people (1). So while we don’t want to cut salt intake too drastically, we also don’t want to overdo it -- excess salt is processed by the kidneys and eliminated through the urine, so consistently consuming large amounts may strain the kidneys.
While salt requirements can vary between individuals based on age, gender, health condition, and physical activity (sweating out this key electrolyte will mean you’ll need to consume more), research has shown that the desired sweet spot for intake is about 1.5 to 3.5 teaspoons per day (2).
That said, rather than focusing on a specific amount of salt to ingest, it may be more effective to pay attention to your sodium to potassium ratio. Sodium and potassium are electrolytes that work together synergistically in the body, with potassium found in higher concentration inside our cells and sodium higher outside the cell membrane. An excess of sodium relative to potassium, for example, may pull water out of the cells, leading to a puffiness or bloating of the body that we may notice if we’ve had too much salt. Thus, there is a constant balance between sodium and potassium, and supporting your body in maintaining homeostasis between the two is likely more significant for our health outcomes than simply looking at the amount of sodium we consume.
The most common culprit that can throw the sodium potassium ratio out of balance is over-consuming processed foods, which are generally high in sodium and low in potassium, and provide an estimated 70% - 80% of the salt in the Standard American Diet.
And there’s an even bigger reason to minimize processed foods - sugar! If you’re looking to reduce your risk of heart disease, excess sugar intake has a much stronger and more direct association with inflammation, insulin resistance and increased blood pressure and heart rate than salt (3).
In addition to containing a high quantity of salt, processed foods often contain a poor quality, refined table salt that is high in sodium. More natural forms of salt, such as Celtic sea salt and Himalayan rock salt, are lower in sodium and contain trace minerals such as calcium and magnesium that provide benefits for the body.
To maintain an optimal sodium-potassium ratio, and consume the right quantity and quality of salt, here’s what I recommend:
Enjoy an abundance of potassium rich, organic whole foods, such as leafy greens, avocado, sweet potato, peas, bananas, beets, wild salmon and white beans. Fruits and vegetables are generally low in sodium and high in potassium.
Reduce processed foods like canned soups, frozen meals, chips, crackers, breads and cookies.
Reduce meals at fast food and chain restaurants and cook at home more often!
Enjoy healthy salt (our favorite brand, since it is the most mineralized and alkaline salt), Celtic sea salt, or Himalayan pink salt in cooking.
Salt your food to taste! While cooking, sample your food, listen to your taste buds and body, and salt as desired; you can leave extra salt off the dinner table to prevent excessive salting.
If you’d like some extra, fun facts about salt, continue reading below! What is your relationship to salt like? Tell me in the comments!
Fun fact 1: We have a history with salt
Life on Earth emerged from the ocean, and about 97% of the water on the planet is estimated to be salt water. For thousands of years, salt has been a highly coveted commodity, used medicinally, to flavor food, and as a preservative. In ancient Egypt, salt was used to preserve food and as an important component of the mummification process. In ancient Rome, salt, or “sal” as they called it in latin, was so valued it was used as currency, and soldiers were paid in part with salt. This is where the modern word “salary” is derived from.
Fun fact 2: Salt helps with digestion
Low stomach acid production, is a common condition that makes it more difficult for your body to digest and assimilate nutrients from food. Basic salt is sodium chloride, or NaCl, and the chloride in salt is a necessary component of the hydrochloric acid produced by the stomach in order to properly digest your food. In the ancient Indian medical system called Ayurveda, salt is considered supportive of digestion, and helpful in the absorption of cooked foods.
Fun fact 3: Salt is used medicinally and therapeutically
Salt is antimicrobial and can be swished orally to reduce bacteria in the mouth and throat (this is why it’s smart to gargle with salt water when we have a sore throat!). Halotherapy or salt therapy, in which you relax in a salt cave surrounded by thousands of pounds of salt, first emerged when workers in a salt cave in Poland noticed an improvement in their respiratory health. Common in Europe but becoming more popular in the US, salt therapy is said to work in part because the negatively charged ions in salty air support a reduction in inflammation and mucus in the lungs, and promote improved mood and a general sense of wellbeing. If you are in Denver and would like to try halotherapy, I recommend 5 Star Salt Caves - it’s a great way to take some time out to decompress or meditate.
James J. DiNicolantonio, The Salt Fix
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/1105553 - In this study, intake of less than 3,000 mg of salt a day and more than 7,000 mg a day were both associated with a higher risk of stroke, heart attack and death; intake between 4,000 and 5,990 mg was associated with the lowest risk.