You’ve probably heard it over and over: salt is terrible for your heart, and doctors all across America recommend that everyone should adhere to a low sodium diet. The widespread aversion to salt among the medical community can be traced back to the 1979 “Surgeon General’s Report on Health Promotion and Disease Prevention,” which identified salt as a significant contributor to hypertensive conditions. A more recent study in 1999 even concluded that those who consumed more salt had higher rates of strokes, heart attacks and deaths from all causes.
However, recent research has debunked these findings, revealing that healthy, unrefined, natural salt is vital for good health and should be included in your daily diet. This is because natural salt is packed with essential minerals your body needs to properly function.
In a study conducted in 2011 and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, individuals who reduced their salt intake were found to be five times more likely to die from heart disease than those who consumed higher levels of salt. Another study, published in the American Journal of Hypertension, discovered that limiting salt intake is linked to insulin resistance, which can lead to diabetes and heart disease.
Furthermore, salt has been found to provide a crucial boost to the immune system, which is yet another reason why you should not eliminate it from your diet.
The right kind of salt
Nowadays, the salt found on tables and sold in grocery stores tends to be heavily processed. Regular table salt is about 97.5% sodium chloride and 2.5% chemicals, and it is dried at extremely high temperatures (around 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit). Such extreme heat changes the chemical structure of natural salt, rendering it detrimental to your health.
Instead, you should choose an unrefined, natural sea salt. Sea salt is only 84% sodium chloride, and the remaining 16% consists of around 80 different minerals such as magnesium, calcium, sulfur, bromide, iodine, zinc, potassium, and iron. These mineral electrolytes interact with the body in a completely different way than processed sodium chloride. For example, unlike sodium chloride, sea salt doesn’t cause swelling.
Types of sea salt
There are several varieties of sea salt available, including Mediterranean, Himalayan, and Pacific. Each one has a slightly different taste, so you can choose the one that appeals to you the most. When shopping for sea salt, make sure that it hasn’t been refined or boiled to produce the crystals. The sea salt should be harvested and allowed to dry through evaporation to be labeled as “natural.”
Incorporating natural sea salt into your daily meals not only adds flavor but also provides numerous benefits for your overall health. Don’t be swayed by the widespread negative assumptions about salt – your body needs it, and by opting for a natural, unrefined version, you’ll be doing yourself a huge favor.
