No Need To Be Salty!

You love it, you crave it, you can almost always add more, and yes, you need it…but not like you think you do.  I’m talking about salt: the myths debunked and the facts revealed.

It is true that your body needs salt/sodium chloride in order to produce hydrochloric acid in the stomach—this aids in many important metabolic functions.  Humans need approximately 0.2 to 0.6 grams of salt a day, which can easily be obtained from raw natural foods that you eat (cooking in water removes sodium and other minerals).  On average, Americans eat about 10 to 20 grams of salt every day—an excessive amount that most certainly has toxic effects on the body.  The kidneys are capable of eliminating about five grams per day, and everything above this remains in the body and is stored in various organs and tissues.  Concentrated amounts of salt in the body can cause kidney disorders, heart problems, high blood pressure, rheumatic diseases, and hair and skin conditions. 

You may have heard that intense perspiration depletes your body’s natural salt stores; however, it is a popular misconception that you should replenish your body with salt after a vigorous sweat.  Let it not be forgotten that the skin is the body’s largest organ, and perspiration is an intelligent mechanism designed to excrete toxins through the skin.  You have probably noticed that your sweat often tastes salty, which is an indication that you consume too much sodium.  Many people believe it is necessary to consume salt (which is definitely not an adequate form of electrolytes) after a rigorous workout in order to prevent sodium deficiency; unfortunately, this assumption is rather backwards: the exact reason your body sweats so much is to rid itself of excess salt that is harmful to internal function.  The human body is incredibly intelligent in its ability to function and maintain balance on its own, and the logic should be simple to understand.  I hate to break it to you, but chugging a sodium-packed Gatorade post-exercise is doing your body a great disservice.

Like I mentioned before, your daily salt intake is easily obtainable from vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, etc., without requiring any additional table salt.  However, the American palate has (tragically) evolved to need additional salt in order for food to taste good, so if you absolutely must, use a good sea salt (which is much more potent anyway) and definitely keep it to a minimum.


XO,
E