3 HN users recommended this explainer4 months2017–2025score 4
Years with an HN recommendation, 2007–2026
HN commenters use it as a source of study references suggesting standard low-salt advice may be too restrictive.
Joseph Everett argues, drawing on the book The Salt Fix, that most people benefit from more rather than less salt, and reviews studies on sodium, potassium and blood pressure.
“This is a nice video discussing some studies that show that high levels of salt is significantly better if it comes with high levels of potassium” (HN, 2018)
It seems that high amounts of salt are "bad for you" only in the context of low potassium . But most doctors either aren't aware of the fact that there needs to be a certain proportion of salt and potassium, or they don't bother telling patients because the doctors know most people won't eat anymore potassium-rich foods, so they just tell them to "eat less salt." This video has some references to studies backing this: [this video] There's also this book that argues for the importance of salt in our food, of which I heard good things but haven't read: [link]
Gives studies backing the salt-to-potassium proportion.
I really don't think high amounts of salt is a big deal, unless you almost never eat foods with potassium, too. But even then high levels of salt is probably a bigger issue for people who already have border-line high blood pressure due to atherosclerosis, and then eating a lot of salt pushes them over the limit. It's also much easier for doctors to say "eat less salt" than to say "eat more potassium-rich foods", even if they know that the two need to be in balanced. When doing a 5-day fasting recently I purposefully tried to consume significant amounts of salt because I felt like I was lacking in electrolytes. I could barely maintain my blood pressure around 10.5/6. Normally, it's around 11.5-12/7. This is a nice video discussing some studies that show that high levels of salt is significantly better if it comes with high levels of potassium compared to low levels of salt but even lower levels of potassium (by ratio): [this video]
Nice discussion of studies on salt with high potassium.
Salt could be misunderstood. This what I’ve learned video discusses salt and recommended standard sale amount might be too low: [this video] But if the GP comment is listening to his body, it’s fine. I personally prefer more salty food(not snacks) than others around me. And the only opposition seems to be that less salt is better. And less salt means more mental stability.
Suggests recommended salt amounts might be too low.
> Is salt really that bad? Here's a brief video that makes the claim that you probably need more salt in your diet. He has 3 more salt videos, if you're intrigued. You probably need more salt (short): [link] Salt: Are you getting Enough?: [this video] WHY Low Salt Stresses the Body: [link] Low Sodium's link to Fat Gain & Insulin Resistance: [link]
Part of a series arguing you probably need more salt.
In the US at least on average people are getting about 1/2 the salt they where 100 years ago. We no longer preserve food with salt primarily we use refrigeration now. [Salt: Are you getting Enough?] [this video]
Cited on salt intake having halved over a century.
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