Gabe Mirkin, M.D.
Surprisingly, a recent study found that Americans who
consumed the currently-recommended 2,300 mg/day of sodium had a
37 percent higher chance of dying from heart attacks. Researchers
from Albert Einstein Medical School analyzed the Second United
States National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and found
that evidence linking sodium intake to mortality outcomes is scant
and inconsistent (American Journal of Medicine, March 2006).
The results are unexpected because a high-salt diet can
cause some people to develop high blood pressure, which increases
a person's chances of suffering heart attacks and strokes.
Perhaps the explanation is that many people don't start restricting
salt until after they find out that they are at high risk.
Most medical authorities will continue to recommend diets
low in salt, but salt itself probably is not the culprit. For
years I have recommended a plant-based diet that is low in
meats and processed foods. Meats are naturally high in salt, and
most processed foods contain a lot of salt even if they don’t taste
salty. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, seeds and nuts
are naturally low in salt; and even if some salt is added when
they are cooked or at the table, these foods will contain far less
salt than most processed foods.
May 1, 2006