Killer Salt

Everyone thinks that table salt (sodium chloride) is some innocuous substance that is added to food to improve the taste. According to this book, nothing could be further from the truth. It is actually a product of the union between chlorine, which is a poisonous gas, and sodium, which is a reactive metal that bonds with other elements to make new compounds. The human body needs a tiny amount of sodium each day, so adopting a totally sodium-free diet is not a good idea. The average person consumes up to ten times the required amount of sodium each day. (The *2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans*, produced by the federal government, recommends consuming no more than 2,300 mg of sodium, about 1 tablespoon, per day.) Those with hypertension (high blood pressure) need to take a very hard look at their salt intake. The kidneys, which have a major role in hypertension, should be able to take care of just as much salt as we ingest. But for millions of people, the kidneys cannot process the excessive amounts of sodium ingested each day. The fluid buildup which results leads to increased blood volume, which leads to higher blood pressure, which leads to a faster heartbeat. The blood being pumped through the body is too great a quantity to nourish the tissues, not to mention the heart beating too hard and fast for its own good. Through a process of autoregulation, the blood vessels shrink to reduce blood flow. That's what high blood pressure is all about. The American addiction to salt, planted by the food industry, starts with baby food, among the most nutrition-poor and sodium- and sugar-rich foods in the supermarket. Sodium nitrite, present in all processed meat, is another way that sodium is added to our diet. Don't forget about MSG, monosodium glutamate, present in many packaged and canned foods. Consumers need to read nutrition labels, and see just how much sodium there is in things like, for instance, milk and store-bought cookies. Stay away from canned soup; it is possible to get one-third to one-half of the daily 2,300 mg mentioned above in one can of soup. Finally, cut your salt intake, starting with removing that salt shakerfrom the kitchen table at meal time. Learn how to cook without adding more salt. This is an excellent book. If you can find a copy, it is easy to read, and in this health-conscious world, it is highly recommended.