how did our ancestors get enough sodium?

n0ob
n0ob Posts: 2,390 Member
in Food and Nutrition
The other long thread attempting to discuss what our ancestors ate, and regardless of what it was, I was just thinking of how low in Na it must have been, while being relatively high in potassium.

Reguardless of whether it was high or mostly vegetables or high/mostly meat this would have been true.

So how did they get adequate sodium, and what were the consequences of their low sodium diet.

Somebody do the work for me...

TIA.

Replies

  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    Sodium is naturally occurring in most things. We add salt to food because we've become used to it but there's more than enough in nature. Iodine deficiency was the issue before we started adding iodized salt to everything.
  • Akimajuktuq
    Akimajuktuq Posts: 3,037 Member
    Yup, sodium is naturally occuring in a lot of things. Humans also took advantage of natural salt deposits, just like animals still do.

    One thing that I have noticed about sodium and potassium for myself, is that when I get adequate potassium I have far less craving for sodium. Perhaps we just don't need a lot of sodium?
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,416 Member

    Somebody do the work for me...

    That's pretty much what these forums are about!

    Love it.
    :laugh:
  • blakejohn
    blakejohn Posts: 1,129 Member
    the end
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    That's also why, in ancient times, salt was an extremely valuable commodity.
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
    Yup, sodium is naturally occuring in a lot of things. Humans also took advantage of natural salt deposits, just like animals still do.

    One thing that I have noticed about sodium and potassium for myself, is that when I get adequate potassium I have far less craving for sodium. Perhaps we just don't need a lot of sodium?

    Sodium is in everything.

    We don't need as much to keep homeostatis in the body as the RDA recommends.

    JERF (Just Eat Real Food)
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
    A good place to start - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt_road

    Salt was, at one time, a valuable commodity.
  • n0ob
    n0ob Posts: 2,390 Member
    I meant, in no way, shape or form, for this to be applicable to ANYTHING today.

    Just a true quest for someone else to provide me with knowledge...
  • Elise1324
    Elise1324 Posts: 38
    Back before refrigeration salt was used to cure meats so that they lasted longer. The salt kept bugs away for a while and the meat didn't rot as fast. So when they cooked it there was more salt then I know I would ever dream of using.

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