Salty Salted Salt
Diet Blog takes a look at all the hubbub surrounding salt. Here’s a pinch of it:
1. Joosens, J.V., M.J. Hill, P. Elliot, et al. 1996. Dietary salt, nitrate and stomach cancer mortality in 24 countries: European Cancer Prevention (ECP) and the INTERSALT Cooperative Research Group. Int. J. Epidemiol. 3:494-504.
2. Obarzanek, E., F.M. Sacks, T.J. Moore, et al. 2000. Dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH)—sodium trial. Paper presented at Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hypertension, May 17, New York, NY.
3. de Wardener HE. Sodium and hypertension.
Since the late 1970's, Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has been asking the FDA to limit the amount of salt in processed food. In 2005, they filed yet another petition, asking the agency to revoke the designation of salt as "generally recognized as safe." Other changes the group requested: to set ceilings on the amount of sodium permitted in processed foods; to require a health warning on packaged salt; and to reduce the Daily Value for sodium…Well, you certainly won’t find Dr. Fuhrman jumping on the salt bandwagon. Check this out:
… CSPI also has an informational pamphlet available, cheerfully titled "Salt: The Forgotten Killer," which points out the huge health problems we have in this country due to our excessive sodium consumption. (Too much salt leads to hypertension, which in turn leads to heart attacks and strokes). And it's not just CSPI, a reliably feisty advocacy group--the American Heart Association also agrees we are eating too much and really need to cut down.
On the other hand, The Salt Institute has compiled a list of studies they believe show otherwise. (Who is The Salt Institute? Well, they're a nonprofit association of salt producers. It's up to you whether you decide to take their advice with... well, a grain of salt).
Excess salt, outside of what is contained in natural foods, is likely to increase your risk of developing disease. Salt consumption is linked to both stomach cancer and hypertension.1 For optimal health, I recommend that no salt at all be added to any food. The famous DASH study clearly indicates that Americans consume five to ten times as much as they need and that high sodium levels over the years has a predictable effect on raising blood pressure.2Not to mention that he considers salt one of the worst foods you can eat. Look:
Worst Seven Foods for Health and LongevityBut according to Dr. Fuhrman our salt craving has been around a long time. Another quote:
- Butter
- Cheese
- Potato Chips and French Fries
- Doughnuts
- Salt
- Sausage, hot dogs
- Pickled, smoked or barbequed meat
Salt addiction has developed throughout civilization in the last 5000 years, creating a worldwide epidemic of high blood pressure and resultant strokes. Besides fatigue, cravings, and uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms, salt use gradually deadens your taste.3 The more salt you consume, the more you lose the ability to appreciate the subtle flavors of natural food. As salt deadens taste, it makes you want more and more salt to get back some of the missing flavor.Truthfully, when you kick salt, food does taste a whole lot better.
1. Joosens, J.V., M.J. Hill, P. Elliot, et al. 1996. Dietary salt, nitrate and stomach cancer mortality in 24 countries: European Cancer Prevention (ECP) and the INTERSALT Cooperative Research Group. Int. J. Epidemiol. 3:494-504.
2. Obarzanek, E., F.M. Sacks, T.J. Moore, et al. 2000. Dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH)—sodium trial. Paper presented at Annual Meeting of the American Society of Hypertension, May 17, New York, NY.
3. de Wardener HE. Sodium and hypertension.
