To Salt or Not to Salt by Elizabeth Yarnell

It's no wonder that salt has gotten a bad reputation lately. We hear salt blamed for everything from heart problems to excess weight to that uncomfortable bloated feeling. We see the term "low-sodium" so often applied to diet plans or products that we believe we must avoid or at least decrease our salt intake in order to be healthy. But is this really true?

Not exactly.

After all, salt is essential for healthy digestion, balancing internal fluid levels in the body to prevent swelling, and proper functioning of the nervous system.

And did you know that adequate salt levels are a factor in getting a good night's sleep and for preventing muscle cramps?

Without salt, calcium absorption is hindered, leading to osteoporosis. Salt even plays a vital role in sexuality and a healthy libido.

But here's the catch: we're not talking about regular old table salt.

Table salt, the kind that is ubiquitous in shakers on restaurant tables and in pantries across this country, has been so processed and refined that it is devoid of nutritional benefits. Further, it can contain additives such as aluminum, which has been linked to Alzheimer's disease, and other desiccants to keep it smooth-flowing and clump-free.

Even though iodine, a necessary nutrient to prevent hyperthyroidism and other diseases, has been added to table salt for almost a century, it is usually available in adequate amounts through other foods we eat because it is present in the soil where our food is grown. In the US, only the Great Lakes area has iodine-deficient soils that might warrant iodine supplementation for those communities. Most of us do not need iodine added to our daily salt.

Common table salt can contribute to heart disease, overload internal organs and exacerbate hypertension. Some researchers believe it is actually toxic to humans and animals. Some even call it a poison.

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