A quick Google search of the terms “Salt” and “Risks” will return a deluge of articles that demonize the popular flavour enhancer. For almost a century, it’s been linked with high blood pressure, heart disease, increased risk of strokes and even cancer. But is the fear of salt actually justified? It’s a simple fact for example, that we need salt in our system to stay properly hydrated and transmit nerve impulses. It can even be used to alleviate gum disease, fight infections and decrease inflammation. Meanwhile some modern studies suggest that the link between salt and high blood pressure and heart disease is in fact non-existent. So what’s the truth? Is salt our friend or our enemy? Should we choose Himalayan salt over regular table salt? It all depends on where your salt comes from, and also with the volume you consume. Too much of anything is generally bad for you. Too much sun, too much food, even too much fruit which contains natural sugar and acid. In fact, drinking far too much water can be dangerous, as it dilutes the necessary salt in your blood! As for the apparent health benefits of Himalayan salt over table salt, studies show that there actually aren’t any! Where salt becomes unhealthy is when it’s used to flavorize ultra-processed foods like your favourite fast food restaurant’s hamburger, or a packet of potato chips. These often contain close to, or even more than, your maximum recommended daily intake of salt, while the food itself is unhealthy on its own. In conclusion, it seems that moderate amounts of salt itself won’t harm your health at all, but consuming far too much of it, especially in already unhealthy foods, will catch you up in the long term.
