“Reducing salt intake to less than 5 grams per day (about 1 teaspoon) will save around 2.5 million lives every year.” (10)
Sounds familiar, right? We are all accustomed to this kind of messages that recommend eating less salt. They are important no doubt about it but how do we measure 1 teaspoon of salt in processed foods? What salty foods should we avoid? What type of salt should we consume?
Since we have previously discussed sugar consumption (you can read more on the topic here, here and here), we now want to address salt intake.
|
Type of salt |
How it is obtained | What it contains |
| Table salt | Rock salt mining |
The refining process eliminates all naturally contained minerals and most of the times iodine is added (1) |
|
Sea salt |
Solar evaporation |
Depending on the water used for obtaining the salt, it may contain: potassium, phosphorus, calcium, iron, iodine, manganese, zinc, bromine, boron, copper, silicon. (2, 3) |
| Himalayan salt | Rock salt deposits |
It contains: potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, iron, zinc, oxygen, hydrogen, lithium, aluminium and other numerous elements but in less significant proportions. (4) |
These are the most commonly met types but there is a vast range on the market: Celtic salt (an unrefined sea salt, having a slightly moist texture), Fleur de Sel (a sea salt from France that is formed from sea waves), Kosher (a large grain type of salt) and many more.
The common nominator for salt in general, regardless its type is that it contains a similar combination of sodium and chlorine. Broadly speaking, limiting salt intake refers to providing our bodies with an adequate sodium quantity that will help instead of damage our health. When it comes to sodium intake (through salt) studies are inconclusive: some claim that great sodium amounts can lead to high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease (5), whereas others argue there is no certain evidence in this regard (6). Another hypothesis links high sodium intake in overweight people to an increased heart attack risk and mortality (7).
Naturally found salt vs added salt
Small amounts of sodium are naturally found in dairy, meat, sea fruits and vegetables. Significant quantities are in: tuna, pork, peanuts, potatoes, lemons, beets, milk and celery. At opposite ends, great amounts of added salt can be found in: sauces and salad dressings, dry cured meats, cheese, pickles, instant soup, salted nuts and seeds, pretzels, fast food (9).
How much salt should we eat?
The daily recommended dosage for a grown up person is estimated at 2,300 mg of sodium, which equals a teaspoon of salt.
All in all, what type of salt should we consume?
As seen in the above table, all types of salt have a similar composition, the one thing setting them apart being the number and type of minerals they contain. These minerals act as electrolytes in the human body with various functions: relax/contract muscles, maintain fluid balance, enhance energy production within the cells, support cellular wall construction etc.. However, the thing that should be making a difference in choosing a particular type of salt is the refining processes. This process not only removes the naturally found minerals in salt, but adds toxic substances for bleaching, preventing moistening etc..
Eating salt is ultimately culturally determined. For instance, we normally add salt to simple boiled rice, but this may not happen in the Asian culture. It is important to acknowledge that any habit can be changed and although food without salt is quite boring and unappealing, the bitter truth is that salt alters the natural taste of food. There’s no real need for a healthy person to deprive its taste buds from a better taste of food due to adding salt nevertheless we must find a balance in order to enjoy natural tastes as well.
