10/01/2025
Eat your salt
Eat your red meat
Eat your fats
Decrease or stop the sugar and carbs
Never take a statin
Salt & Sodium: The Real Story Behind the World’s Most Misunderstood Mineral
They told us salt was “the deadliest ingredient in our food supply.” Doctors blamed it for high blood pressure, heart attacks, and even early death. But what if they got it completely wrong? 🤔
Here’s the shocking truth: low salt diets may actually be more dangerous than high salt intake.
Before you push away the salt shaker, read this 👇 — because your health (and longevity) may depend on it.
If you’ve been following the health debates over the past few decades, you’ll notice a pattern: first, saturated fat was demonized, then cholesterol, then red meat, and now salt. Ironically, these are all the very things that sustained human beings for millions of years. And while Big Food pushes hyper-processed “low-salt” junk, the real dangers may lie in salt restriction—not in salt itself.
Let’s unpack the history, the controversies, the science, and the practical steps you can take to get this mineral balance right.
Why Salt Matters (And Why You’d Die Without It)
Salt isn’t just a seasoning—it’s an essential nutrient. Sodium is a major player in metabolism and survival. Without it, the body falls apart.
Here’s what salt does for you:
- Maintains extracellular fluid and blood volume, which keeps your tissues nourished
- Allows neurons to fire and muscles to contract—without sodium, your nervous system shuts down
- Helps produce stomach acid (HCl) for digestion, breaking down protein and killing pathogens
- Plays a key role in adrenal and kidney function
A true salt deficiency leads to hyponatremia, with symptoms like nausea, headaches, muscle weakness, seizures, and even coma.
So the question isn’t whether we need salt (we do). The real question is: How much is optimal—and what happens if you get it wrong?
Salt & Human Evolution
One of the most fascinating debates in nutrition is whether humans evolved to seek out salt—or if it only became common in the agricultural era.
Some say our ancestors followed animals to salt licks. Others suggest we got our sodium from fish and shellfish. But here’s the kicker: the sodium content of wild animals is actually pretty low. For example:
- A pound of catfish has ~200mg sodium.
- Red meat averages ~80mg sodium per 100g.
Not exactly “salty.”
So how did Paleolithic humans thrive? They likely got just enough sodium from meat and organ foods. Salt as an additive didn’t enter the picture until agriculture and food storage began. By 6000 BC, salt was so valuable that wars were fought over it. Roman soldiers were literally paid in salt (the origin of the word salary).
Fast-forward to today: sugar is everywhere, processed food is loaded with sodium, and yet paradoxically, health authorities now tell us to fear salt.
Modern Salt Controversies
The war on salt began with population surveys showing supposed correlations between salt intake and high blood pressure. It was cemented by rat studies, where rodents were force-fed salt at human-equivalent doses of 500 grams per day. (For perspective: that’s like swallowing a full salt shaker in one sitting.)
Of course, the conclusions were wildly overblown. The human body has an incredible capacity to regulate sodium via the kidneys. In fact, when sodium intake spikes, your body simply excretes the excess—something that doesn’t happen with sugar or vegetable oils.
What the science actually shows:
- No clear correlation between salt intake and hypertension in large populations
- Kidney adaptation handles moderate salt variations with ease
- The real risk may come from too little salt, not too much
💥 Here’s the uncomfortable truth most doctors won’t tell you: cutting salt may raise your risk of heart attacks, strokes, AND type 2 diabetes.
Yes, you read that right — too little salt may be deadlier than too much.
The Dangers of Low Salt
This might shock you, but large studies show a U-shaped curve when it comes to salt:
At very low intakes, risk of heart attacks, strokes, and early death goes up
- At moderate intakes (4–6g per day), risk is lowest
- At very high intakes, risk rises only slightly
In other words, low-salt diets may be more dangerous than high-salt diets.
Low sodium intake has been linked to:
- Higher cholesterol and triglycerides
- Insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes
- Fatigue, brain fog, and poor exercise recovery
And yet, mainstream guidelines still encourage many people to aim for 1,500mg sodium per day—an amount that research suggests is harmful.
Factors That Change Your Salt Needs
Not everyone needs the same salt intake. Here’s what makes a difference:
🏋️ Exercise & Sweat Loss
Athletes, especially in endurance sports, lose large amounts of sodium through sweat. Failure to replace it leads to hyponatremia, which can be deadly. Adding ½–1 teaspoon of salt to water during long workouts can prevent this.
🥩 Ketogenic & Low-Carb Diets
Low-carb diets naturally increase sodium loss through the kidneys. That’s why “keto flu” often improves when people add electrolytes. A little extra salt (½–1 tsp) can smooth the adaptation period.
🍖 Carnivore Diets
On an all-meat diet, potassium intake is naturally high, and sodium needs may be moderate. Still, adding a small amount of salt (½ tsp) can improve circulation and exercise recovery.
⚡ Potassium Balance
Potassium buffers sodium’s effects. A lack of potassium—not “too much salt”—may explain why processed food diets are linked with high blood pressure. Real food (red meat, seafood, some vegetables) helps maintain balance.
Action Steps: How to Get Salt Right
Here’s the practical, no-BS guide:
✅ Aim for 1.5–3 tsp of salt per day (3.5–7g sodium). This matches both evolutionary intake and modern research on the “low-risk” zone.
✅ Add extra salt if you’re:
- Exercising hard or sweating a lot (+½–1 tsp)
- Starting keto or carnivore (+½ tsp for first few weeks)
✅ Choose quality sources – mineral-rich sea salt or rock salt over ultra-refined table salt.
✅ Pair with potassium – get at least 3,500mg daily. Red meat, seafood, and some vegetables can help.
✅ Listen to your body – cravings for salt are real. Thirst, fatigue, dizziness, or muscle cramps can be signs of sodium deficiency.
đźš« Avoid these pitfalls:
- Relying on processed food as your salt source. The problem isn’t the sodium—it’s the vegetable oils, refined carbs, and additives that come with it.
- Over-restricting salt due to outdated guidelines. Too little salt can be as harmful—or worse—than too much.
- Forgetting potassium. High sodium with low potassium is a recipe for metabolic trouble.
The Bottom Line
Salt is not the killer it’s been made out to be. In fact, low-salt diets may be more dangerous than moderate-to-high salt intake.
Humans evolved without salt shakers, yet salt became one of the most valued substances in history—for good reason. Your body needs it for nerve function, digestion, hydration, and metabolic health.
The real danger isn’t the salt—it’s the processed food environment that surrounds it. Get your sodium from real food, add quality salt to taste, and balance it with potassium. Your body is far better at handling salt than it is at handling sugar or seed oils.
So the next time someone tells you to “cut the salt,” ask them:
👉 Why do the longest-living cultures in history often eat far more than the so-called “safe limit”?
👉 And why do people on low-salt diets keep showing up in studies with higher rates of chronic disease?
So… is salt the villain it’s been made out to be, or the unsung hero of human health?
👉 Do you fear salt… or do you add it liberally?
👉 Have you ever noticed you feel better after upping your salt on keto, carnivore, or during workouts?
Drop your experience in the comments 👇 — let’s bust the myths together. And if this post opened your eyes, hit share so your friends stop fearing one of the body’s most essential minerals. 🧂💪
Maybe it’s time to put the salt shaker back on the table.
