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.
Your honesty in looking at evidence in medicine and not just following the crowd is greatly appreciated! Thanks, Dr. Krohn. I consume quite a bit of salt- even take tablets of it hourly while racing triathlons. Without it, I would surely been in big trouble in some races.
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