 Now there is a massive confusion these days over just how healthy salt is for you. The problem is that really? It's a too-pronged answer. So let's start with the positives. Why do you need salt? Let's make this clear. Without salt, you will die. Am I being melodramatic? Probably. Where was I going with this? Your body requires a small amount of salt, and without it, you can suffer from reduced hydration and muscle cramps, especially in athletes. You can also have a higher risk of a heart attack. Headaches. Eateness. Irritability. And cognitive decline as you get older. Let's back up a scotch. Eating more salt can make you more hydrated? Surprise! Many people think this is the other way around. Studies have shown that salt increases the body's ability to conserve water, making you less thirsty and thus more hydrated. Reducing sodium intake below suggested levels is actually considered more harmful than having too much salt. Shall I repeat that so it sinks in? You are better off having a little extra salt than not enough salt, okay? A study of more than 133,000 people over 49 countries showed some startling results. People who consumed less than 3 grams of sodium per day were more likely to have heart disease and or die when compared to those who consumed 4 to 5 grams of sodium per day. And to add a little sprinkling of tasty salt to this study, those who consumed less than 3 grams per day had worse general health than those consuming as much as 7 grams per day. Boom! There you go. Salt is good for you. Oh, wait. I think I'll just buy a little asterisk that I'm going to have to deal with here. In the case of people with high blood pressure who consumed 7 grams of sodium per day, they did have a significantly higher risk of heart disease and or death than the 4 to 5 grams group. Okay, so when is salt not healthy? Well, actually, there has been some research recently that says there is no actual link between your salt intake and high blood pressure in heart disease. Those being the two main reasons people have painted salt as a dastardly villain in recent years. But hold on. Let's not come to a verdict just yet. There is a truckload of research that says that salt consumption could be directly linked to high blood pressure. The one massive study that many people turn to is the PURE study. It covered 100,000 people from 18 countries and it did find that people who consumed more sodium had higher blood pressure. This also held true for the risk of heart disease and early death for those who consumed more than 7 grams of sodium per day. And there have been other large studies that back this up as well. However, the most startling study I came across was a 2020 review. It covered over 616,000 people and found that for every gram of increase in your sodium intake per day, you could have a 6% increase in your heart disease. Yeah, that definitely sounds like a good reason to restrict your sodium consumption. There are also some studies that show that high sodium levels could possibly lead to gastric cancer. One 2016 study in Japanese adults found that those with a preference for salty foods had a 30% greater risk of developing gastric cancer. Now you might be saying to yourself, Eric, you just told me salt was good for me. Would all these studies say it's bad? What gives? Well, there are several important mitigating factors that skew these results. For one, older adults and those who already have high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney disease have a tendency to be more sensitive to the effects of salt. Also, the rate of high blood pressure in African Americans is almost twice that of Caucasian Americans. So depending on your race, you could be even more at risk. There are even people who are naturally sensitive to the effects of salt. So if that's you, you're definitely going to need to regulate your salt intake. You probably already are. Good for you. There is research that also shows that higher potassium levels could mitigate the negative effects of salt. Another important factor is where you're getting your salt. Where? Your salt shaker might not be the culprit at all, as the American Health Association says that a whopping 75% of people's sodium comes from processed foods. The top salty foods are things like packaged breads, cold cuts and cured meats, pizza, soups, poultry and sandwiches. This of course will be different if you make the foods yourself, as many store-bought foods have extra salt added, partly as a preservative but partly as a flavor enhancer. And therein lies the problem. Many people who are having too much salt just aren't having enough healthy foods. All of these factors really skew the results of just how much a factor your sodium intake is, compared to the other foods you're taking into your body. Seriously, stay away from those processed foods. Alright, how much salt should you have? The average American eats around 3.4 grams of sodium per day. Notice I said sodium, as salt is about 40% sodium and 60% chloride, which means 3.4 grams of sodium is about 8.5 grams of salt per day. Now the AHA and the Institute of Medicine both say you should be rather conservative and only have about 1.5 grams of sodium per day, which is about only half a teaspoon of salt. Of course if you already have high blood pressure, diabetes or another cardiovascular disease, this is a really good amount to aim for. The World Health Organization is a little more relaxed and says you can have up to 2 grams of sodium per day. As I said earlier though, if you aren't salt sensitive, there are studies showing that if you have less than 3 grams of sodium per day, it might not be good for you. In fact, one study said that 1 to 2 teaspoons of salt a day isn't going to affect your risk of heart disease. Now the important thing to know is your own body. Either way, once you start getting over 4 to 5 grams of sodium per day, pretty much every study I came across said that ain't good. No way, no how. So while you may not have to limit to 1.5 grams of sodium per day, keeping your salt consumption from skyrocketing is definitely a good thing. As always, if you're concerned with your sodium intake or want to make some drastic changes, make sure to talk to your doctor first or I'm coming after you. Depending on when you're watching, if you want to learn more about salt, this video is going to do you good or just watch whatever is here because it's going to be cool. Please, be kind, take care of each other and don't go too crazy with that salt shaker. All those processed foods. Seriously, stay away from those processed foods.