Low-Salt Diet Myth Debunked

A new study explodes the long-held myth that cutting salt is good for your heart.

To the contrary, McMaster University scientists say a low-sodium diet actually is more likely to trigger a heart attack or stroke than one with a lot of salt.

Dr. Andrew Mente led the study. His findings show that a moderate amount of sodium is best. “Having neither too high nor too low levels of sodium is optimal for health,” he said.

Surprisingly, the study found that a low-salt diet is most dangerous to the very people for whom it is most often recommended. Patients with high blood pressure are often told by doctors to cut salt.

In people with high blood pressure, low salt raises heart attack and stroke risk by 34%. Those with normal blood pressure face a 26% greater risk.

The study shows that constant warnings about salt are not warranted, Dr. Mente said.

“Most of the population eats what they’re supposed to eat, based on the data,” he said. “They fall in the middle and that’s actually the sweet spot—the safest range of intake.”

According to the study, published in The Lancet, the “sweet spot” is 3,000-7,000 mg of sodium per day. That’s the equivalent of between 1 ½ teaspoons to just under a tablespoon of salt. Most Americans are in this range. They consume around 3,400 mg (2 teaspoons of salt) daily.

The Healthiest Kind of Salt

When you add salt to your food, stay away from refined table salt. All the healthful minerals have been stripped away in the manufacturing process.

Instead, buy unrefined natural salts. There are two types: sea salt and mined salt.

Sea salt is produced from salt water. Sea water is evaporated in the sun, leaving behind salt full of the healthy minerals in the ocean. Mined salt comes from natural deposits in the earth.

Both kinds are excellent alternatives to industrial table salts. But we recommend Himalayan pink salt. It contains 84 minerals and trace elements. These include calcium, magnesium, potassium, and copper.