Salt
Might you actually be deficient?
Holistic Health
Salt, high blood pressure or healthy?
The World Health Organisation recommends limiting sodium intake to a maximum of 2000mg a day which is about equal to a single teaspoon or 5g of salt. We are advised to limit salt due to it increasing high blood pressure leading to potential heart disease. But there is a growing body of research past and present suggesting salt is perhaps a healthful nutrient and we may even be deficient.
Salt and heart disease
The mechanism by which salt which, a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride is linked to high blood pressure and heart disease is one of when high levels of salt are consumed sodium enters the blood stream. Your body in order to return the blood back to an isotonic natural state pulls water via the kidneys back into blood circulation increasing blood volume and thus pressure on the arteries and heart. To combat this pressure increase arterial walls can become thicker in size resulting in a narrowing of artery diameter compromising blood flow through it – if this happens in an artery of the heart it may results in a heart attack, if in an artery of the brain the result may be a stroke – definitely something you want to avoid! But some interesting research has shown some important and even crucial health benefits of salt.
A 2014 paper found that the negative health factors where in fact greater when consuming too little salt rather than too much. Following the WHO guidelines of 2000mg of sodium according to this study would be more harmful than consuming 6x this level. The study found about 11g of salt seemed to be optimum, and this figure may increase if you are sweating a lot, drinking a lot of coffee or other diuretics or on a low carb diet.
Salt consumption historically
The only published evidence we have regarding historical salt consumption comes from military archives going as far back as the War of 1812. The available data suggests that Western societies consumed between 16 and 20 g of salt per day from the early 1800s until the end of World War II. This figure then dropped to about 9g or 1and a half teaspoons per day – thought mainly to be caused by the advent of refrigeration replacing salting foods as a means preservation. Interesting this decrease in salt intake levelled off in the 1950’s and has remained level since.
Humans seems to have a built-in drive to consume salt to the levels they require or at least to a minimum requirement. The issue can come when this drive to eat salty foods results in the consumption of processed low nutrient dense or fast foods – all of which typically contain refined salt but also with all the negative health impacts of refined carbohydrates specifically sugar, vegetable oils and hydrogenated fats. Its also worth mentioning that the natural drive for salt is not one of an addiction by definition. Sugar on the other hand we know stimulates parts of the brain similar to other addictive stimulants like cocaine and can manifest physical withdrawal symptoms. Salt craving has in comparison a negative feedback loop – The drive to consume salt decreases as sodium levels in the body increase.
Sodium, Potassium ratio
It’s thought our Paleolithic ancestors consumed about 11,000mg of potassium and 700mg of sodium daily – a sodium to potassium ratio of 1 to 16. Today a ratio of 1.36 to 1.
There is also research suggesting that more important than the amount of sodium or salt consumption is the ratio of sodium to potassium in your diet. According to A study that tracked the health of more than 12,000 American adults for 15 years. The higher the sodium-potassium ratio, the greater the chances of dying from cardiovascular disease, a heart attack, or for any reason at all (all cause mortality) (Archives of Internal Medicine, July 11, 2011). Good natural sources of potassium include Bananas, oranges, cantaloupe, honeydew, apricots, grapefruit, cooked spinach and cooked broccoli.
Difference between table salt and natural salt
The main differences between natural salts like sea salt /Himalayan salt and regular table salt are in their taste, texture, level of processing and trace mineral profile.
Table salt is typically mined from underground salt deposits, heavily processed which eliminates trace minerals leaving mainly sodium chloride to this anticaking agents such as sodium aluminosilicate or magnesium carbonate substances added. Natural salt in comparison has a variety of other trace minerals including potassium, magnesium, selenium to name a few. Himalayan salt has for example 84 other trace minerals.
Opinion varies and the debate may seem unclear as to whether ‘natural’ salt such as pink Himalayan, Celtic or brands of sea salt are healthier than regular table salt. Its true the key component of both is sodium chloride, with natural salt having a deeper mineral profile. That being said the trace minerals contained in natural salt comprises a very small amount especially relative to levels of these minerals found in food sources. No conclusive clinical research has proved a health benefit comparing natural salt to processed table salt. – more conclusive research is definitely needed. That being said Given the choice between table salt and natural salt consuming a more natural, less refined and nutrient rich substance seems like a no brainer.
In Conclusion
The demonization of salt in insolation as causing high blood pressure and thus negative chronic health impacts may be over simplifying the issue with evidence seeming to suggest a necessity to consume salt to a higher level than currently taken and recommended. Given the potential healthful benefits of salt, consuming a less processed, natural salt with higher trace mineral profile seems preferable.
Holistic Health
References / further reading
Martin O’Donnell, M.B., et al 2014 ‘Urinary Sodium Potassium Excretion, Mortality and Cardiovascular Disease’ The New England Journal of Medicine, 371:612-623
Satin. M 2015 ‘The Salt Debate – Far More Salacious That Salubrious‘ Blood Purification, Karger Publications Vol.39 1-3
2011 ‘Sodium/ Potassium Ratio Important for Health‘ Havard Health Publishing
Toshiyuki Iwahori et al 2017 ‘Time to Consider Use of the Sodium-to-Potassium Ratio for Practical Sodium Reduction and Potassium Increase‘ Nutrients