Our bodies need salt. Salt was so in demand back in the day that people were paid their salaries in salt (hence where the term ‘salaries’ came from). Yes, part of this was to preserve food at the time but people were so active that their bodies needed the nourishment they got from it.
I think most of the benefits people get from going low-sodium when the mainstream recommends it is they start to shift to more whole foods. They eat less fast food and processed, frozen foods since those are high in sodium so they think they are benefiting because they reduced sodium intake when in reality it’s the fact that they started eating more real foods again.
What do you all think?
I think another part of it could be the fact that people who consume a lot of sodium do not drink enough water. Loads of sodium + no water = water retention and scale goes up.
Therefore, cut out salt = faster results.
everything is healthy in the correct amount, but sodium is used to make lots of things taste good.
Sodium def. isnt bad, but saying high amounts are totally save is just wrong.
research how sodium reacts with your body…
There is a reason why people die of thirst when on the open sea without help
If you’re an active person who exercises regularly and pays attention to your diet, then sure, you’re probably fine eating well over the recommended maximum per day.
But the majority of the population (in western countries like Canada, USA, UK) is overweight/obese and sedentary. Most of those people are eating a diet high in processed foods and so the high amounts of sodium are likely to have a negative impact on their health markers, primarily high blood pressure.
So by telling people high sodium intake is harmless, you’d probably be doing more harm than good for a lot of people.
A lot of premade food uses a ton of salt Ive noticed. For our family in particular, my husband is prone to high blood pressure issues and can be sensitive to salt so my solution has just been to not add any if its not necessary. Idk, it’s already in so much food, especially if youre eating anything of convenience (frozen meals, prepackaged goods, fast food, etc)
I think it totally depends on the person, their genetics and their medical condition. I don’t find the mainstream generalizations about health and diet all that useful in general since everyone is so different.
Table salt has anti caking agent in it which causes water retention and some of the things salt gets blamed for. I use tons of Himalayan pink salt and my BP is on the low end and I’ve never had an issue. I eat zero processed food though so it’s the only salt I’m getting.
Things the future will hopefully realise we’re dumb and found on nothing:
Low salt lifestyle.
Red meat causes cancer and is bad for you.
High carb diets are for everyone and anyone.
Restricting foods is unhealthy and a part of ED.
Eating frequent meals every few hours and not restricting your feeding window. (Not To be confused with IF)
Overfocus on fibre.
Vegan products are healthy alternatives.
Low calorie foods are healthier.
Supplement pushing.
The industry is fill of garbage and the further we go on, the more nonsense comes to the front until we realise how dumb it was. Remember when Low fat was the big deal? Though even that nonsense has stuck around. There’s people claiming that processed foods can be in a “balanced diet” only we have an obesity epidemic and people don’t need to be eating these foods that caused the problem in the first place.
Nutrition will look a little different for everyone, but to hear such garbage that’s often negatively effecting people in the long term is frustrating beyond belief.
Was just questioning my sodium intake today lol! I dont eat a lot but I use a sauce that has a lot of sodium in it which is where I get most of my sodium from. I honestly do not like salty stuff and wish more companies would use less salt in there products. But yes if you exercise, drink water, and get a good amount of potassium I feel sodium doesnt really matter.
I cut out salt to try to lower my blood pressure while I was pregnant and then got really sensitive to it taste wise and have now had to add it back in because my sodium was too low so it definitely is possible
A “daily allowance” is a thumb rule for the average person. I work outside for a living and sweat a lot. I can see salt deposits on my clothes in the summer. I don’t worry about eating a little extra salt. I imagine that would be the case for most active people, especially those who participate in endurance sports.
Most nutrition research and info are bullshit. We really don’t know what’s optimal long term for our health. There is no one measure fits all thing regarding health. Some people can take heavy sodium intake. Some people can’t. It’s the same with red meat and meat in general. Some people break down red meat some people can’t digest it very well.