Is adding salt to food healthful?

[TopHatFox]

I've been fighting adding salt to food for the past year or two, but I've given in to adding just enough to taste--and no more--just from cooking for others. I have noticed that there is a distinct difference in taste between a pinch of salt and no salt. Still, I wonder whether added salt is generally good for the body in small quantities. Most of what I've read claims that adding salt to food can only hurt in excess, and that it might even be good for the body in small quantities.

I further wonder if the same level of savoriness in food can be achieved without using salt, instead using spices, oils, herbs, or naturally sodium-rich foods. Can salt simply be a compensation for unseasoned, over-cooked food?

-----------------------------------------.

Personally, when I do use some salt, I've been using large grain sea salt. Maybe I'll consider buying (non-dyed) Himalayan sea salt with added iodine next time I buy some.

[SimpleLife]

Wine, beer, most things are good for you in SOME way in moderation. My gf always get's mad at me when I put salt on my food, I have high cholesterol and am on medication for it, but I cannot stand to eat rice or other food with no flavor. Sometimes a broth or sauce poured over food can take the place of salt, but I still ove putting a little bit of salt on fries, when I eat them.

If living means eating rice cakes and drinking water while living out of a tent, I don't want to live then...

Going to die someday anyway, and I want to make that far off, but I do want to enjoy some of my years on this planet, not just try to live as long as possible, which isn't really living.

[jacob]

Generally no.

However, if you sweat a lot (heavy warm weather exercise), you will need to replace lost sodium and potassium (it leaves with the sweat) and adding salt helps. Remember how salt used to be an extremely precious commodity for desert dwellers. If you're at the point of spontaneous muscle cramps---a sign of salt depletion---drinking just water will probably not be as effective as adding a pinch of salt. Also, if you're endured a heat wave for quite a while (weeks) and drinking endless amounts of water no longer seems to help, adding salt could work wonders.

That said, the Standard American Diet (preprocessed foods) contain more than enough salt already. If you're lucky enough to be "very active" (which most students or white collar workers are not ... unless you play some serious varsity sports that we don't know about) you'll sweat most of it out already. Conversely, if you eat from staples and regularly challenge the "sportability" barrier, you'll probably want to add some.

Or just have a can of Brawndo! It's sold on the internet, where available. No kidding.

[Dream of Freedom]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3Ps107cBjs

[George the original one]

Sea salt usually doesn't have iodine like Morton's salt does. See http://www.thyroid.org/iodine-deficiency/ for info.

(but, yeah, it's very easy to overdo salt)

[chenda]

I've never added salt or pepper to anything, not deliberately to be healthy just something I've never done or was brought up doing.

I think there is a generational difference here. I can still see my grandfather sprinkling vast quantities of salt all over his dinner. Very common I think of his generation. Died of a heart attack.

[jacob]

Yeah, should also mention that humans adapt to salt like chili and like alcohol (but unlike mustard and wasabi) so taste is relative.

We only add salt to oven-roasted stuff (because salt lowers the boiling point) but otherwise not at all. Thus every restaurant meal makes me drink a gallon of water to reestablish equilibrium concentrations. My parents add salt to all their cooking. My grandparents add salt on top of the finished meal too.

I see a correlation to how much physical labor each generation tended to do.

[Dragline]

I don't think adding small amounts is an issue either way. I am aware of some recent research questioning "low salt" diets.

I don't like it personally and don't add it. Now hot sauce, mustard and alcohol -- that's a different story. I am still working on "Ghost Pepper Mustard Whiskey", but I am sure it will be a classic.

[vexed87]

I add a little salt to most sauce based dishes, but we are usually talking about a pinch (1/8 tsp).

I also add salt to pasta while boiling, while baking bread (as per recipe), to roasting dishes and some times to meats for light seasoning.

I think the key is to think about salt levels on a per serving basis, I don't think there's anything wrong with adding salt to most of my dishes as I tend to make 4-8 servings with any one meal, so actual salt intake will be much lower.

[Chad]

There is some conflicting research on salt, as with almost every health suggestion from 40 years ago (stupid food pyramid). From everything I have read and experienced, it would seem that adding salt to a whole/non-processed food diet isn't a problem. Actually, given that sprinkling table salt on a piece of chicken or some broccoli really isn't a ton of sodium, it probably isn't a problem at all. It's the processed food that brings your salt up to what could be concerning levels. Processed food has way way more salt than something you would make at home (obviously there are exceptions).

Salt appears to be demonized because it's easy measurable and an easily prescribed directive for a traditionally non-nutrition trained doctor. Constant very high amounts are probably bad, but that's probably at the bottom of the list of lifestyle changes people need to make to be healthy. Being fat, having an overall terrible diet, and not exercising are far far far worse for someone than some extra salt.

Basically, it would appear that removing processed foods and exercising would correct the majority of salt issues. Changing one micro-variable to improve one's health is almost never the answer. It's almost always a combination of many variables on the macro scale that really makes the difference (obviously exceptions exist).

As a final note, everyone is different, so if you want a precise answer you have to test yourself. Unfortunately, that can get expensive.

[Peanut]

+1 to everything Chad said

NYT cited studies that showed super low salt diets are as dangerous as high salt ones to health (although it made me wonder if these low salt people in the survey are already sick and hence on a corrective diet):
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/26/upsho ... 0002&abg=0

For myself, I don't need much salt as I actually prefer blander food/natural flavors. When I cook for company I make sure to use more, though, as every chef says too little salt is the no. 1 mistake home cooks make.

[GandK]

It's the processed food that brings your salt up to what could be concerning levels. Processed food has way way more salt than something you would make at home (obviously there are exceptions).

+1. Salt and sugar. :-/

Zalo, the easiest/healthiest thing is probably to find other seasoning options that you like. Garlic and onions are both super healthy and are better choices than salt. And if you like your food sweet, cinnamon is a good sugar alternative.

[BeyondtheWrap]

If you cook using any condiments or spices, you're probably getting enough salt.

[Chad]

Nice brief summary on salt in the diet.

https://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/pa ... yan-stuff/

[Tyler9000]

As a doctor friend used to joke, he always adds lots of salt to his food to raise his blood pressure to help force the cholesterol through.

In my experience, the body is pretty good about letting you know how much salt is healthy. The trick is learning to pay attention and not simply salting things out of habit. The body is a complicated machine and salt is absolutely part of the chemical balancing act in several important systems. Splurging and denying yourself are likely both bad ideas. Just be smart about it.

Also, if you ever find your taste for salt changing significantly (you really crave it or can't stand it), that's sometimes a symptom of hormonal imbalances. It's worth mentioning to a doctor.

[startbyserving]

I try to eat a low sodium diet the most of the time, however as others have noted there are exceptions related to activity level. I went hiking yesterday and salted nuts were the recommended food to be high calorie vs pack weight and also replace salt lost through sweat.

I tried no sugar and reduced sodium diets - for a (very) short period of time consecutively. - Although it IS possible, it is extremely difficult to buy anything other than fresh vegetables with neither sugar nor significant sodium. For sugar, I ended up losing too much weight and re-introduced it to my diet in small quantities.

Long story, short: I found a much greater impact on my well being, especially long-term mental health by reducing sugar. Sodium is important as well though. In my opinion 75-100% of FDA guidelines makes for a reasonable maximum for a moderately active person. (Consider higher or lower depending on your activity level.)

[slimicy]

Sodium is an essential electrolyte, and without it you will die. Unless you have severe hypertension there's absolutely no harm in salting to taste. Almost all recent studies on salt have shown eating less salt to be more harmful than eating too much.

[Ego]

Nutritionfacts has begun a series of videos on dietary salt intake. Here is the first.
http://nutritionfacts.org/video/high-bl ... -a-choice/

[Chad]

Nutritionfacts has begun a series of videos on dietary salt intake. Here is the first.
http://nutritionfacts.org/video/high-bl ... -a-choice/

Interesting video. I like that they used real studies to back up some claims. Though, I'm not convinced we were mainly vegetarian until 5k-10k years ago.

I would be interested in comparing the blood pressure of Blue Zone residents with these natives and the old time doctor's study (rice/veggie diet). I would bet there isn't a significant difference in blood pressure. I did a search, but, of course, it's drowned out by articles with "Blue Zone Life Tips!" None of them giving you actual numbers, because that would have meant real research. I'm sure the numbers exist. I just need to wade through all this crap. If anyone has come across these numbers a link would be greatly appreciated.

[black_son_of_gray]

I would be interested in comparing the blood pressure of Blue Zone residents with these natives and the old time doctor's study (rice/veggie diet). I would bet there isn't a significant difference in blood pressure. I did a search, but, of course, it's drowned out by articles with "Blue Zone Life Tips!" None of them giving you actual numbers, because that would have meant real research. I'm sure the numbers exist. I just need to wade through all this crap. If anyone has come across these numbers a link would be greatly appreciated.

Found a little bit:
https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/hy ... 2_153/_pdf (Figure 2,3) Okinawans
http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NE ... articleTop Not exactly what you asked, but interesting nonetheless/ correlations between blood pressure and coronary heart disease deaths for different populations

Per the last link, and the topic: I'd say that, given you are getting enough sodium, to the extent that salt intake raises your blood pressure, I'd be careful being too liberal with it on a regular basis. If you have great blood pressure numbers...sure, add a little?