Issue #18

Salt: Do You Need It Or Not?

Salt in the diet is one of those subjects where you can easily find opinions on both ends of the spectrum. In other words, some people say you absolutely need it in your diet while others say you should absolutely eliminate it.

I ran into this dilemma with two health oriented researchers whose opinions I respect a great deal. They really know their stuff. But when it comes to salt, they totally disagree.

As a result, I was stuck for a while on what to believe. Then I did further research and finally was able to come up with an answer that satisfied me. So join me on the journey I went through to learn the truth about salt and whether or not you need it.

First, let's define what salt is. Salt is simply sodium chloride or NaCl. The white table salt you see in salt shakers in restaurants is sodium chloride. The same goes for the grey "sea salt" that is supposedly a healthy variety of salt. Himalayan crystal salt (a product that I have bought and used) is also sodium chloride. Details on each variety of these salts follows.

The white salt you see just about everywhere that is so common is sodium chloride that has been manufactured from scratch and is used in massive quantities in the food industry.

This white, highly processed salt is the kind of sodium chloride that you intuitively want to stay away from because it's manufactured and artificial. When you do the research, you find that this kind of salt is created with chemicals and has anti caking agents added to it.

Next is sea salt which is precipitated out of sea water. This is a naturally occurring salt and is supposed to be far better quality. I used this grey, sticky, sea salt for years. Approximately 85% of this kind of product is actual sodium chloride with the remaining 15% consisting of minerals and trace elements.

Sea salt is harvested naturally from the ocean. This is done by collecting the ocean water in clay ponds and allowing the sun to naturally evaporate the water, leaving behind the salt. Sounds like a better alternative to the industrial, food grade salt, right?

The next step in my salt journey was Himalayan Salt. I had heard a lot about this salt and ordered some. Brochures that came with the salt claimed, among other things, the following:

• Re-mineralize the body with 84 minerals and trace elements essential to health
• Replenish electrolytes
• Balance the body's pH
• Improve respiratory, circulatory, organ, connectivity tissue and nervous system functions
• Assist in the cellular absorption of nutrients

Could this special salt actually do all this? Go to the next page to find out.

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