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A WORLDWIDE STUDY has found that a diet low in salt may increase the risk of heart attacks and stroke.
And in fact – contrary to popular belief – salt in moderation is good for you.
In the same week a new report found common advice on low-fat diets and cholesterol is wrong, the study of 130,000 people in 49 countries has found current advice on how much salt we should be consuming is too low.
The study, co-authored by NUI Galway academic Professor Martin O’Donnell and published in The Lancet, found that low-salt diets (less than three grams a day) are related to more heart attacks, strokes and deaths than diets with an average intake.
It also found that people with high blood pressure should reduce their salt intake to moderate rather than low levels.
O’Donnell said the study shows a need for a clinical trial to determine the safety of a sustained low-salt diet in relation to heart attacks and strokes.
“(The study) questions the appropriateness of current guidelines that recommend low sodium intake in the entire population,” he said.
The study looked at Canada where it concluded most people there are consuming the right amount of salt a day (between 3.5 and four grams).
Currently in Ireland, the Irish Heart Foundation recommends an average daily salt intake of between four and six grams a day
“Low sodium intake does reduce blood pressure modestly, compared to moderate (or average) intake,” said the study’s lead author, Dr Andrew Mente.
“But low sodium intake also has other effects, including adverse elevations of certain hormones associated with an increase in risk of death and cardiovascular diseases.”
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Take life with a grain of salt, a slice of lime, and a shot of tequila
Ha this is gas, someone actually called this would happen soon yesterday on the comments section of a different article!
Too many of these contradict each other I take them with a pinch of…Common sense.
Can we just ban these articles now which take food items out of context and present them in isolation. Silly stuff really.
A young doctor told me years ago to eat more salt, I don’t eat bread or cereal and avoid processed food but didn’t add salt to my food so wasn’t getting enough. He said avoiding salt was as bad as eating too much. My leg cramps stopped when I started adding pink himalayan salt to my food.
It’s the Saxa type salt that’s bad for you – use sea salt or Himalayan salt and it’s fine..
Phyllis, it matters not a jot whether the sodium chloride molecules in your bloodstream were taken from the Himalayas, from a different salt mine or from the sea. They will have precisely the same effect.
It matters very much Derek. Pink, black, or Himalayan rock salt is natural and contains many trace minerals including iodine which is essential for thyroid function. Common table salt eg;Saxa is chemically made, doesn’t contain any minerals and often has chemical and Anti caking agents added to it. There’s a huge difference.
All types of salt, whatever colour and wherever they’re from, contain NaCl, a chemical, whichever way you slice it, which is bad for you (when not used in moderation) as the sodium has been shown to increase blood pressure.
By the way, the notion that Saxa salt has “no minerals” is hilarious seeing as NaCl is by definition a mineral. It is a crystalline, naturally occurring solid.
Malachi it really looks like you’re throwing around secondary school chemistry jargon to make absolutely no point at all.
And to respond to your smug little ‘gotya’, yes NaCl is a mineral and is present in conventionally refined brands.What isn’t present are minerals like magnesium, required for carrying electrical impulses in the heart and regulating thousands of enzymatic processes, which people are deficient in today.
The only reason I need to throw around secondary school chemistry is because it seems some people are having a hard time with it. Someone said SAXA salt had no minerals, what is wrong with calling someone out on their ignorance? Did I offend you?
I accept that different types of ‘salt’ will have added minerals and whatnot which are good for you, but it still doesn’t change the fact that high sodium levels are heavily linked with high blood pressure. I didn’t ever claim different salts weren’t slightly better – just that salt can never be healthy if you’re not taking it in moderation.
Lay person has no chance if if they follow the constant stream of guff posted on news sites. Fat is bad! Fat is good! Salt is bad! Salt is good! Coffee is bad! Coffee is good! on and on it goes. News sites get clicks, supplement companies get rich and ordinary people get fleeced
From now on its ears closed mouth open , eat what I like and let the stomach sort it out .. Or else just go back to the old motto ” if it tastes good then it’s bad for you and if it tastes bad it’s good for you”
“Contrary to popular belief, a new study has found salt in moderation is good for you”.
When was it ever “popular belief” that salt in moderation was BAD for you.
Who writes these stupid sub-headlines, is it the author of the article? There are numerous silly meaningless sentences under the main headlines on this website. As a matter of fact, the whole publication has gone top pot.
We are severely iodine deficient and it’s a process that was planned well in advance. Fear mongering on salt was the start of it, of course too much of anything is bad for you. Iodine is very efficient in promoting cell repair and it is also beneficial for the perineal and thyroid. It actually in fact reverses the damages of the fluoride we are medicated with (by force)
You’re talking absolute nonsense.
Salt is only a small factor in the removal of even natural iodine found in foodstuffs. Iodine is required by the body. But I’m not gonna bother bantering with your uneducated musings.
I didn’t say iodine wasn’t healthy. I was talking about your idiocy regarding fluoride and your referencing of the ‘perineal’… I think you meant the pineal gland.
John I’ve been here before with Malachi…produces his own scientific studies to back Fluoride but rubbishes all others. The fact we are the only nation practically in the whole of Europe that still fluoridates our water tells you everything. Yeah they’re all wrong and we are the only ones that are right. Mentalists. !!!
We may be in the minority in fluoridating our water, but other European countries fluoridate their table salt. Are you advocating we switch to that, Colman?
I’d certainly like to hear your arguments as to why, it’s a fair debate to have for sure.
So you don’t think fluoridating our toothpaste is enough….the actual product developed to treat our teeth. But there are also far better methods to treat our teeth than with fluoride be it in toothpaste or even our water. But I’ll tell you Malachi what I don’t advocate….medicating a whole nation through it’s water supply….!!! People complain about a nanny state….that goes so far above and beyond a nanny state it’s actually scary.
Alas he’s not Malachi. You should consider researching it a bit more. Sorry, a lot more.
I agree that it is nanny state behaviour. The problem we have is that bad dental health is causing quite the strain on our health service, and this was the reason fluoridation was introduced here in the first place – it’s much less expensive than hiring a lot more dentists.
I mean, we could switch away from fluoridation, but our taxes would have to rise with that decision as it would necessitate investment to make up for the lack of cavity prevention the scheme has given us. We could go to fluoridated table salt or milk like much of Europe, but if you make it optional you’ll get people who don’t use it and end up costing the taxpayer with their dentist bills.
What I really get irked about is not the argument against water fluoridation as a concept, but at the false claims that it is unhealthy at the concentrations present in our water systems. Argue all you want against the system we have, but it isn’t unhealthy and it does improve dental health. The only legitimate argument against it is the nanny state one.
I’m sick of all these studies. Would they ever get a real fcking job.
Like what?
One that’s productive.
Poor SafeFood FSAI their low fat, low salt world must be falling apart this week…
More bollocks!
Trans fats can’t melt salt pillars
Here we go again
If you dig deep enough I’m sure you’ll find somebody connected to the Salt industry paid the scientists to come to that conclusion..
Red wine is good for you, chocalate is good for you, smokes used to be good for you (calmed the nerves apparently), butter is good for you now but wasn’t a few years ago. Sugar is baaaaad.
Pink Himalayan rock salt is the way to go high in iodine and other very beneficial minerals. It tastes nicer, you need less of it and it’s proven as a healthier option. Tastes great with any meal.
Yes, and it is also high in sodium. You know, the sodium that causes high blood pressure when you have too much of it. No matter what type of fancy salt you find, it will still have sodium.
I emphasise the word LESS…. Go learn to read before you mouth off
The fluoride has really damaged you beyond hope. I’m sorry for your troubles.
Ah yes, the fluoride is a mind control device bandwagon makes an appearance.
Any evidence for your claims about fluoride altering the mind?
Aye a peer reviewed study have declared it as a neurotoxin but shhhh http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/fluoride_b_2479833.html
John, that study specifically made reference to areas where fluoride levels are naturally way too high in the water, far higher than they are here.
Do you have any *actual* evidence to suggest that fluoride levels as they are in Irish water supplies are harmful?
Fluoride is added to water in Ireland. It’s a common fact. Back in the old days when they thought it was good for your teeth they medicated the country through drinking water. Thing is long term fluoridated water intake causes fluorosis of the teeth so yeah it has zero benefits to human consumption.
Oh dear, you seem to be failing miserably at your research. Fluorosis is not caused by long term exposure to the levels present in the Irish water supply. Fluorosis is usually caused by natural supplies having levels of fluoride that surpass ours, i.e. the cause is overdosage not accumulated exposure.
Also, every dental association there is will tell you that fluoride is still good for your teeth in the proper dosage, which we have here in our water supply. The evidence is there both experimentally and observably.
Good man John, linking to ‘natural news’. It’s not as if they have a vested monetary interest in getting people like you to swallow their crap.
Maybe you should buy some fluoride water filters off their sponsors on the side of the page? I honestly don’t see how people can be this gullible. They’re making money off you.
Ugh ignorance must be bliss, I wish I could be that uneducated in what’s actually going on. The information and studies are there for those that actually want to find out what IS actually happening. Those above me are too far gone sadly
Is that your version of “I’m right and you’re wrong because I say so”, John?
I’d rather speak about the scientific evidence than have you keep saying you’re right because there are magical ‘studies’ out there that prove it. Why not actually defend your case? It’s looking pretty weak.
Drink up that tap water Malachi! Lol
Maybe what these studies are proving is that unless you have regular checkups. Realise when you need to cut down on certain foods, fats or minerals your may enjoy a so called healthier lifestyle. Reading a magazine or believing any overnight expert or celebrity will damage your health because what works for one person may not work for another. Butter was bad because people wanted to sell margarine. Sugar is bad because water companies need to market their product. Fat is bad because low fat products needed customers. It’s never about people’s health is all about convincing your this product is better over another. Live life like a mayfly baby, let history judge you. Does it make any difference what you do or eat so long as you enjoy yourself. You are moving at over 600 miles a hour standing still. If the media told us the truth no one would bother buying a newspaper.
Very soon we can expect similar article about low sugar diet I guess
Paving the way for all the TTIP foodstuffs
The rise of Pseudo-Science.
Everybody needs salt.
It is TOO MUCH salt which is bad.
Why do we need salt?
The primordial salty oceans still flow within us.
When creatures crawled out of the salty sea 450 million years ago they brought the salty sea with them under their skin.
Our salty blood is the primordial ocean.
But not TOO MUCH salt.
The paper in the Lancet is actually interesting, and did go against my previous assumptions. This article in the journal doesn’t represent the paper very clearly though and will do more harm than good.
I gave up adding salt to my meals years ago, because the “scientific evidence” stated that the added salt in a great deal of food alone caused you to exceed the recommended daily amount, not just in processed food but by salt added in cooking. Would this added salt not still take most people salt intake up to “moderate” levels?
John. Have you a PhD in public health?
I always thought sodium was good for the nerves, can you imagine if the cause of diabetes was salt???
have your say