SALT - are you scared of it?

chrisdavey

AWESOME article on salt here. Few choice quotes below

http://www.charlespoliquin.com/ArticlesMultimedia/Articles/Article/798/My_Take_On_Salt_and_Your_Health.aspx

8-year study of a New York City hypertensive population stratified for salt intake found those on low salt diets had more than four times as many heart attacks as those on normal sodium diets—the exact opposite of what the “salt hypothesis” predicts.

Overweight individuals with high blood pressure who are at risk of diabetes may benefit from less salt intake, but if they also have adrenal fatigue, that may not be the solution. Clearly, everything needs to be individualized for the greatest health benefits. Making blanket statements that everyone needs to lower salt intake is ridiculous!

High-Protein Intake Requires More Salt, Athletes Too

Adequate iodine is needed for the normal metabolism of cells, making it an essential component of diet if you are trying to lose weight or are an athlete

snookumss

VERY NICE! I get annoyed when my uneducated dieter real life friends shy from 250mg of sodium in a meal. Thats too much salt. WHAT?!

chrisdavey

LOL.

And to add to that, excess salt/sodium will not inhibit fat loss. It can mask it because of water retention if you have an abnormally high day though e.g. 3000mg normally, 5000 for one day. Or 1500mg normally, 3000mg one day.

I don't know about the rest of you but I care a whole lot more about BF% rather than what the random number generator spits out (scale)

Jorra

CHRIS WHATS UP ESE?!?!! NO I AM NOT SCARED OF THE IONS OF NACL WHICH IS EXTRMELY IMPROTANT TO ELECTROLYTE BALANCE. THE PEOPLE WHO ARE SCARED OF IT AREN'T THE BRIGHTEST BULBS IN THE TREE.

lifeismoto

late night bump

dbwillis

I watch it but no Im not scared of salt,,,

LabRat529

Cool... thanks for the link. It supports my bias, so I'm cool with that.

I like dill pickles.

Rayman79

Over 4000mg for me on Saturday, I had contemplated ending it all by leaping from a tall building... thankfully I read your post just in time!

alwayssavingme

I hate salt! It's so easy to eat too much salt/sodium even when staying within calorie goal.


Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter

maryjay51

i wouldnt say im scared of it so much as , yes i do watch my salt intake. i was raised with gobs of salt and msg in my food amongst food fried in lard ect... i never ate food without salting the hell out of it first ..at 42 i had a TIA which is a mini stroke. i have a history of edema to the feet and high blood pressure . last year in fitness camp i was there for a week..NO SALT SHAKERS aaaahhhhhhhhhh!!!! no condiments either and i was beside myself ..but i walked away from that week feeling way better and understanding how much sodium is in things i eat.. it was mad crazy numbers i added up in a day of what i ate even while i was on a diet..

since last year in june 2011 i do not cook with salt in my food or put it on my food when im eating.. i cut out condiments and will sprinkle franks hot sauce on my food per the advice of that fitness camp.i drink a ton of water too.. and even by doing all of this i still manage to get 1000 mg or more of sodium..i try to keep it no more than 1500mg a day but closer to 1000mg.. blood pressure is under control too and no more edema to the feet

petreebird

I have traded normal table salt for sea salt. Not completely, but mostly as i have seen how much sodium is in the foods we eat. But no, I'm not scared of salt.

LabRat529

I have traded normal table salt for sea salt. Not completely, but mostly as i have seen how much sodium is in the foods we eat. But no, I'm not scared of salt.

What's the logic behind this? Sea salt is still sodium chloride. Is the flavor supposed to be stronger or something so you use less of it?

chrisdavey

Alwayssavingme & maryjay51: should probably read the link

PU: You should get a banana & sprinkle it with salt. Then drink some water. It will all even out :happy:

Jorra

I have traded normal table salt for sea salt. Not completely, but mostly as i have seen how much sodium is in the foods we eat. But no, I'm not scared of salt.

What's the logic behind this? Sea salt is still sodium chloride. Is the flavor supposed to be stronger or something so you use less of it?

Sea salt crystals are larger, so there is less sodium when measuring by volume. That's the only logical reason I know of that makes it "better."

kiesh82

I don't know too many Americans who suffer from low salt intake, it's usually quite the opposite.

Regarding sea salt vs. table salt, I read that both are "sea" salt and there isn't much difference between the two.

chrisdavey

I probably shouldn't have worded the title as a question as it is really easy to see who is just answering the question without reading the article. I linked it because there are a LOT of people on this site who need to read this.

LabRat529

I have traded normal table salt for sea salt. Not completely, but mostly as i have seen how much sodium is in the foods we eat. But no, I'm not scared of salt.

What's the logic behind this? Sea salt is still sodium chloride. Is the flavor supposed to be stronger or something so you use less of it?

Yes sea salt is sodium chloride, but "salt" from the store usually isn't . That's the issue. plus sea salt has other trace minerals that "table salt" doesn't have.

Er... salt from the store is sodium chloride + iodine. At least the salt I buy is.

RonSwanson66

Yes sea salt is sodium chloride, but "salt" from the store usually isn't .

Stop making things up.

LabRat529

I have traded normal table salt for sea salt. Not completely, but mostly as i have seen how much sodium is in the foods we eat. But no, I'm not scared of salt.

What's the logic behind this? Sea salt is still sodium chloride. Is the flavor supposed to be stronger or something so you use less of it?

Yes sea salt is sodium chloride, but "salt" from the store usually isn't . That's the issue. plus sea salt has other trace minerals that "table salt" doesn't have.

Er... salt from the store is sodium chloride + iodine. At least the salt I buy is.

Actually, I just went and double checked. The ingredient list for my salt is: "salt" (presumably the sodium chloride kind?), sodium silicoaluminate, dextrose, potassium iodide, and sodium bicarbonate.

swimmchick87

Nope- not scared of salt. I really don't understand why people on here obsess over it so much. If I see "a subway turkey sandwhich on wheat bread is worse than a big mac because subway has so much sodium" one more time...

RonSwanson66

I have traded normal table salt for sea salt. Not completely, but mostly as i have seen how much sodium is in the foods we eat. But no, I'm not scared of salt.

What's the logic behind this? Sea salt is still sodium chloride. Is the flavor supposed to be stronger or something so you use less of it?

Yes sea salt is sodium chloride, but "salt" from the store usually isn't . That's the issue. plus sea salt has other trace minerals that "table salt" doesn't have.

Er... salt from the store is sodium chloride + iodine. At least the salt I buy is.

Actually, I just went and double checked. The ingredient list for my salt is: "salt" (presumably the sodium chloride kind?), sodium silicoaluminate, dextrose, potassium iodide, and sodium bicarbonate.

yeah dextrose is sugar, sodium bicarbonate is baking soda. Potassium iodine is "kI"(don't know what the purpose of this is)

Iodine.

Edit: Those that consume little seafood (ie the majority of the US population) are iodine deficient.

RonSwanson66

Yes sea salt is sodium chloride, but "salt" from the store usually isn't .

Stop making things up.

Go read a book and stop reading magazines.

Read a label.

Name a single brand of salt that doesn''t contain NaCl

Liopleurodon

The author lost me with the crap about table salt being "toxic." It's not. It may or may not be better than salt which has other minerals in it, but it's not toxic unless you go crazy with it.

RonSwanson66

The author lost me with the crap about table salt being "toxic." It's not. It may or may not be better than salt which has other minerals in it, but it's not toxic unless you go crazy with it.

LOLoquin lost his mind years ago.

sarahsmom1

not afraid of salt your body needs it

becoming_a_new_me

Fighting with a chemist about chemicals and minerals is like going 10 rounds with Mohammed Ali...you might get in a couple jabs, but in the end you will be KO.

As to the article...good read. People don't realize that we DO need salt, just not 4000mg a day (like many people get). Athletes need more because of sweating it out and protein synthesis. I usually run about 800-1200 a day, which is completely aporopriate. Some days I am higher but rarely lower. When I cook, I will use sea salt, but I don't add a bunch because I'm not keen on things being too salty. I'm not intimidated by salt intake because since I don't eat a ton of processed foods, I don't get an overabundance.

LabRat529

Fighting with a chemist about chemicals and minerals is like going 10 rounds with Mohammed Ali...you might get in a couple jabs, but in the end you will be KO.

Er... not that I'm fighting with him particularly... but uh... chemists are chemists. Unless they are biochemists, they probably don't have more than a couple of biology classes at best.

Which sounds like I'm slamming Pu. I'm not. I usually like what he has to say and I often (but not always) agree with him. At any rate, I respect his knowledge and his journey toward a degree.

Your statement just rubbed me wrong and, well, I know a fair bit of chemistry myself, seeing as I'm a pharmacologist.

I admit, I was surprised to find something other than sodium chloride and potassium iodide in my table salt... but the other things? Sodium silicoaluminate... either it co-precipitated with the sodium chloride (likely), or it was deliberately added as a source of trace minerals. The potassium Iodide? You need iodine for proper thyroid function- it's used to make thyroid hormone. The dextrose? Probably in there to keep the salt from becoming one giant crystal when it gets wet. Sodium Bicarbonate? Again, probably co-precipitated with the sodium chloride, but not at all toxic. We have plenty of sodium bicarb in our blood... in fact, it's our major buffering system.

Point is... there is not a single ingredient in my table salt that is harmful to humans. Aluminum and Silica can be if consumed in large quantities... but we need trace amounts of the minerals.

RonSwanson66

Yes sea salt is sodium chloride, but "salt" from the store usually isn't .

Stop making things up.

Go read a book and stop reading magazines.

Read a label.

Name a single brand of salt that doesn''t contain NaCl

Most brands go through a chemical process. As we discussed, iodine, or bleaching. It's sold as "salt" Salt has a broad definition. but in terms of "table salt" it's "NaCl" "Sodium chloride" if you add other stuff such as iodine, or bleaching, it's no longer called a "Sodium chloride" it's called a "Mixture(solution)"

Words have meanings:

You said:

es sea salt is sodium chloride, but "salt" from the store usually isn't

Table salt IS sodium chloride. Your statement implied that it was something else entirely. Furthermore, you said:

sea salt has other trace minerals that "table salt" doesn't have.

So by your constantly-shifting definitions, sea salt isn't "sodium chloride" either, since it contains other minerals.

bcampbell54

When I was a pirate, I fell into the ocean.
It tasted like salt.
I almost drowned.
Oh yes, I fear the salt, matey.

becoming_a_new_me

Fighting with a chemist about chemicals and minerals is like going 10 rounds with Mohammed Ali...you might get in a couple jabs, but in the end you will be KO.

Er... not that I'm fighting with him particularly... but uh... chemists are chemists. Unless they are biochemists, they probably don't have more than a couple of biology classes at best.

Which sounds like I'm slamming Pu. I'm not. I usually like what he has to say and I often (but not always) agree with him. At any rate, I respect his knowledge and his journey toward a degree.

Your statement just rubbed me wrong and, well, I know a fair bit of chemistry myself, seeing as I'm a pharmacologist.

I admit, I was surprised to find something other than sodium chloride and potassium iodide in my table salt... but the other things? Sodium silicoaluminate... either it co-precipitated with the sodium chloride (likely), or it was deliberately added as a source of trace minerals. The potassium Iodide? You need iodine for proper thyroid function- it's used to make thyroid hormone. The dextrose? Probably in there to keep the salt from becoming one giant crystal when it gets wet. Sodium Bicarbonate? Again, probably co-precipitated with the sodium chloride, but not at all toxic. We have plenty of sodium bicarb in our blood... in fact, it's our major buffering system.

Point is... there is not a single ingredient in my table salt that is harmful to humans. Aluminum and Silica can be if consumed in large quantities... but we need trace amounts of the minerals.

Sorry you felt lumped in with that...was referring to RonSwanson telling PU to stop making things up and other rude comments

chrisdavey

Fighting with a chemist about chemicals and minerals is like going 10 rounds with Mohammed Ali...you might get in a couple jabs, but in the end you will be KO.

Er... not that I'm fighting with him particularly... but uh... chemists are chemists. Unless they are biochemists, they probably don't have more than a couple of biology classes at best.

Which sounds like I'm slamming Pu. I'm not. I usually like what he has to say and I often (but not always) agree with him. At any rate, I respect his knowledge and his journey toward a degree.

Your statement just rubbed me wrong and, well, I know a fair bit of chemistry myself, seeing as I'm a pharmacologist.

I admit, I was surprised to find something other than sodium chloride and potassium iodide in my table salt... but the other things? Sodium silicoaluminate... either it co-precipitated with the sodium chloride (likely), or it was deliberately added as a source of trace minerals. The potassium Iodide? You need iodine for proper thyroid function- it's used to make thyroid hormone. The dextrose? Probably in there to keep the salt from becoming one giant crystal when it gets wet. Sodium Bicarbonate? Again, probably co-precipitated with the sodium chloride, but not at all toxic. We have plenty of sodium bicarb in our blood... in fact, it's our major buffering system.

Point is... there is not a single ingredient in my table salt that is harmful to humans. Aluminum and Silica can be if consumed in large quantities... but we need trace amounts of the minerals.

Thanks for the chemistry lesson That probably sounds sarcastic but it's not. Love learning new stuff.

bcampbell54: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: