Salty Situations
Posted on Dec 28 2010 by Liz Wolfe
by Liz Wolfe of Cave Girl Eats!
First off, I'm not a doctor - unless there's an honorary PhD for being really, really, ridiculously good-looking (I kid). But I am a nutrition professional - a board-certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, and I believe I have a good functional understanding of basic human nutritional needs.
Use the information I discuss at your own will. Use it as a jumping-off point for your own research and experimentation - no matter how trusted the professional, you should always seek verification on your own terms. Realize that while certain guidelines are excellent foundations for nearly everyone, each person has individual needs, physiological requirements, even lineage that make their specific questions and experiences unique. So I say - take my advice with a grain of salt.
Which flows perfectly into this post on Sodium intake.
Salt, or sodium chloride (NaCl), is the subject of historical reverence. It meant life, preservation and flavor. It means I don't bruise my buttbone again trying to skate down the icy driveway to my car in the winter. It balances our cellular electrolyte balance. While the industrialized world slowly edged into salt-phobic territory, tropic dwellers knew that salt is a critical component of hydration. I believe that governmental recommendations for reduced salt intake alone are basic Dietary Dogma; there is not enough evidence to suggest that salt alone is the major player in hypertension or any chronic disease.
However, there IS a definite connection between elevated insulin, elevated blood pressure and hypertension. While the kidneys are efficient at excreting excess salt, chronic elevated insulin causes the kidneys to retain sodium outside normal functional bounds via manipulation of the hormone aldosterone (which is responsible for balancing both sodium and potassium), thus causing the body to retain water and increasing pressure in the veins and arteries. (More on the insulin-salt-aldosterone connection is available via a recent article "Low-salt diet increases insulin resistance in healthy subjects" from the journal Metabolism, Clinical and Experimental) I am much more inclined to demonize the Standard American Diet - heavy in carbohydrate, low in insulin-neutral healthy fats and totally ignorant of the importance of food quality - in issues commonly associated with salt consumption. Sodium, like fat, is critical for bodily function; but we obtain salt, carbohydrate, trans fat and hydrolyzed, hydrogenated crud in utterly unnatural quantities when consuming processed foods without regard for food quality.
Salt used in fermentation, a la sauerkraut, can mitigate the growth of "Bad" bacteria, while beneficial bacteria can still thrive in the salty environment. This is also why salt is so valuable in food preservation, and why fermented foods are valuable in enhancing digestion. From an evolutionary standpoint, our common heritage is oceanic. We came from the ocean. Our bodily mineral balance is strikingly similar to the ocean itself. Dr. W. L. Bloom, as early as 1962, concluded that dietary carbohydrate was the culprit in disregulating our body's capacity to handle salt. This sounds suspiciously like the Saturated-Fat Truth vs. Dogma (Gary Taubes would agree).
I differ from Professor Loren Cordain in that, while I agree a hunter-gatherer may not have had access to salt the way we do today, we should not shun salt completely; we should shun processed foods, be reasonable and not obsessive about the specific nutritive components of the naturally balanced Paleo Lifestyle, and not worry about the use of salt for preservation, seasoning or flavor. Roasted Brussels sprouts just aren't the same without salt. Cordain specifically references the effect of salt in a net-acid yield in the body; but according to Cordain, this effect is mitigated by foods that alkalinize like...wait for it...vegetables. I believe Cordain speaks to the general population with his stringent views on salt and saturated fat; those of us with a good handle on the "Paleo" way of life need less hand-holding as we get to know and trust our bodies more.
A quick caveat: based on the work of Dr. Robin Felder, it's clear that some folks ARE salt-sensitive outside "normal" boundaries, whether they have high blood pressure or not. This doesn't mean sodium is "bad" on a broad scale. It simply indicates salt sensitivity. Some people are more sun-sensitive than others. This doesn't mean we should start construction on the universe's largest fire extinguisher. The best way to find out if you're "salt-sensitive" without spending big bucks? Cut down on salt for 3-4 weeks and see how you feel. Add a little back, and see how you feel.
A discussion of sodium wouldn't be complete without mention of everyone's favorite Jerky - PaleoKits. (Even the Doctors Eades recommend Jerky as a snack in Protein Power). A Large PaleoKit contains 927 mg sodium and a Large coconut 950 mg. This is well below the ADA's "upper limit" for sodium, which is approximately 2,300 mg per day. (One teaspoon of salt contains about 2,300 mg of sodium.) However, based on the work referenced above (and the fact that the ADA is full of bunk - see my write-up on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans here: http://bit.ly/d8f9eB), the outer limits of salt tolerance is widely varied and highly individual. There is absolutely no reason not to enjoy your favorite jerky or fermented products as part of a good, solid Paleo Plan that's free of salt-added, artificial-ingredient-filled packaged and processed foods; high in veggies; and low in obsessive behavior.
Also note that Steve's Original jerky contains significantly less sodium than commercial store-bought jerky, which contains - on average - 2400mgs of sodium per 4 ounce of jerky. Even so, in using the whole muscle cut of the cattle to make our jerky, we do require more sodium for curing and preserving the jerky, as opposed to several of our competitors who sell "chopped and formed" jerky - which is produced from ground or chopped meat that is molded and cut into squares or strips (which also degrades the protein content).
Sources:
Cordain, Loren: The Paleo DietGenetic variations help predict risk for salt-induced high blood pressure
The Salt Institute: Food Salt & HealthMetabolism, Clinical and Experimental: "Low-salt diet increases insulin resistance in healthy subjects"
Filed Under: Diet stuff, Jerky/Paleo Knowledge
