Scientists are just grasping some of the ways salt works.
Recent studies show salt affects the immune system, leading to inflammation that could be behind heart disease and other problems, Elijovich said.
His Vanderbilt colleagues also are examining how salt might affect bacteria in the gut. The investigation is new, Laffer said, but evidence points to gut bacteria having a role in salt-induced inflammation and high blood pressure.
It affects everyone differently.
Blanket statements about salt and health can be tricky. The root mechanisms of how salt affects the body aren’t fully understood.
Some people who don’t have high blood pressure can eat salt without seeing their blood pressure increase. Others may have “salt sensitivity,” where even moderate salt intake triggers a higher blood pressure.
But the simple fact is that for most people, cutting salt is a healthy thing, Elijovich said. “If you could reduce the amount of salt that people eat, you will benefit the general population.”
Think beyond the shaker.
Salt and sodium are not exactly the same, but most of the sodium in processed and restaurant foods is salt, and the terms are used interchangeably.
A fast-food hamburger might have more than 1,000 milligrams of sodium; a large order of fries could add 400 mg. A can of chicken noodle soup might have more than 2,200 mg.
Federal dietary guidelines recommend adults eat no more than 2,300 mg of sodium a day. The American Heart Association says the ideal daily limit is 1,500 mg. Yet Americans eat an average 3,400 mg of sodium a day.
So read labels, Laffer said. And be aware that just because a product is labeled “low sodium” doesn’t mean it is.
