Sunday, November 1, 2015

The Salt Battle

The Salt Battle
Many people salt their food before they even taste it, while others use practically none.  For years the government has insisted that use of excess salt is dangerous.  Other sources have reported conflicting views on how much salt should be consumed in a day.  The public health lobby is still urging the FDA to regulate salt as though it is a poison.  However, current research suggests that a low-salt diet may be risky.  One study conducted world-wide over a 3 year period showed that people who consumed less than 3,000 mg (milligrams) of salt daily had a 27 percent higher risk of death or a serious medical event. 

Salt (NaCl) contains sodium, one of the electrolytes in the body.  It is essential for the biochemistry of the body to function properly.  The body suffers if there is too much or too little of it.  Biochemical individuality probably is the determining factor in how much salt is needed by an individual.  Everyone has different needs for many substances, including vitamins, minerals, and even medication doses.  While salting food before tasting it probably allows people to become accustomed to and want more salt than is necessary, everyone has a different salt requirement.  We should be glad that the salt debate continues and we are not locked into the same consumption amounts for everyone.