May 26, 2022
To salt or not to salt?
I get asked this question a lot.
Usually what people are really asking is whether sodium (a mineral electrolyte found in salt) is “good” for you. And the simple answer is that sodium is ESSENTIAL. We need it to regulate our muscles, heart, nervous system, kidney, adrenal and brain function, blood flow and fluid balance.
If we restrict our sodium intake or eat “low-salt” or “low-sodium” processed foods, our bodies are either left craving more, or we end up overeating these processed foods to compensate (along with the sugar, trans fats, chemicals, etc. found in the processed foods). Too little sodium can lead to low blood pressure, high stress, profuse sweating, dehydration, fatigue, cold extremities, erectile dysfunction, decreased athletic performance, sleep and cognitive issues, and even fat accumulation.
But what about too much sodium?? Yes, that can also lead to health issues! A diet with a high-sodium, low-potassium diet can play a very serious role in cardiovascular disease, cancer development, kidney disease and osteoporosis.
What’s really key to understand is that sodium works in tandem with other minerals like potassium, calcium and magnesium, and if they are out of balance, they all get thrown out of whack. Table salt is highly processed and stripped of many of the beneficial nutrients that keep sodium in check. Unrefined salts, on-the-other-hand, (i.e. Celtic sea salt, Himalayan salt, etc.) maintain a variety of other minerals that keep it all in check. A diet rich in whole fruits and vegetables can also help the body maintain that equilibrium. Apples, bananas, carrots, oranges, and potatoes, for example, have naturally beneficial ratios of potassium-to-sodium.
Working with a nutrition consultant can help you understand where you fall on the sodium-intake spectrum and how best to treat your tastebuds and your cells to some unrefined salt!
UPDATE 6/25/2024: After my child tested high for lead levels with no obvious culprit, I took a deep-dive into the research about possible food contaminants. What I discovered could be a whole blog post on its own, but I wanted to mention what I learned about salt. Upsettingly, like many other spices, it can often be a source of lead contamination due to the soil and geology of the land, the way it is mined, and how it is processed and packaged. All types of salt are at risk for heavy metal contamination, but Himalayan sea salt is, in particular, prone to having lead ADDED to it to enhance its color. Turmeric and, by association, curry spices have a similar problem. The good news is that there are some watch-dog groups compiling lists about which salt brands are safer to consumeand which to avoid. I am currently following their advise when making choices about which salt to use for my family. You can follow these links to check out their research: mamvation.com and leadsafemama .
REFERENCE
Lipman, F. (2018) How to be well, New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company
Murray, M., Pizzorno, J., & Pizzorno, L. (2005) The Encyclopedia of healing foods, New York, NY: Atria Books
Price, A. (August 19, 2019) Pink Himalayan salt benefits: better than regular salt? Retrieved on May 24, 2022 from https://draxe.com/nutrition/pink-himalayan-salt/
The Nutrition Source (2022) Salt and sodium. Retrieve on May 24, 2022 from https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/salt-and-sodium/
Schiefermeier-Mach, N., Egg, S. et. al (July 30, 2020) Electrolyte intake and major food sources of sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium among a population in western Austria. DOI: 10.3390/nu12071956
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