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The reason so many Americans struggle today with high blood pressure and other sodium-related health issues is because very little of our sodium intake actually comes out of a salt shaker. In fact, "Processed and restaurant foods account for more than three-quarters of all sodium," according to a 1991 study says CSPI - which means we don't even know when we are eating it.
On that note I want to share a little something about my own personal health journey today. I am not saying what happened to me will be the same for everyone living a real food lifestyle - but maybe this information can help some. In early 2010 we began our mission to cut out all highly processed food. We changed a lot of things fairly quickly (in a matter of weeks) and many other changes were more gradual. When we initially cut out all the boxed, packaged and canned foods - and also started eating at restaurants less frequently - we obviously in turn greatly reduced our sodium consumption. Which is a good thing - right? Well to a certain extent, but what I didn't realize at that time is that some salt is actually an essential part of our diets - in the right quantities that is.
So as time went on we started taking our real food diet even further by greatly reducing the amount of salt we cooked with at home...and even cutting it completely out of some recipes (like my almost daily breakfast of granola). I don't remember the exact timing of it all (because it took me a while to put two and two together), but after making these changes I started experiencing some episodes of lightheadedness. What I mean is I would momentarily feel like I might pass out. I never did (thankfully!), but it was certainly a bizarre and worrisome feeling that was happening on average once per week.
Then one time I felt lightheaded when I was out with my girlfriends, and they immediately knew something wasn't right with me (because I suddenly got very quiet - which is a rarity - ha!). So I shared what had been going on and as it turns out one friend had recently gone through something very similar. After a barrage of appointments with doctors and specialists she learned that the sensation was due to low blood pressure (that I already knew I had, to an extent), which can result from too little sodium. I was of course intrigued by this information!
Not All Salt is Created Equal
So little by little - thanks to advice from my girlfriend - I started adding salt back into recipes like my granola, which alone did wonders. She said that she didn't personally go overboard, but if she felt like a dish could use more salt she simply didn't hold back. I started doing the same and what do you know - my episodes of lightheadedness have basically disappeared. But it's important to know - just as there is a difference between processed food and real food - the same goes for our salt choices. Just check out these examples below. I can't believe I never knew that the standard table salt by Morton's contains sugar (listed as dextrose)!
So yes sea salt is the better choice over table salt, but here are two important factors to consider:
- Check the ingredient label (if there is one). If the salt product lists any additives other than salt it is likely refined and therefore not the best choice.
- Look at the color of the salt. If it is brilliantly white - just think of white flour versus whole-grain flour - then that's another giveaway the salt product has likely been refined and again not the optimal choice.
There is honestly a lot more to it than that when it comes to all the different types of salt, but fully explaining the minutiae of how each salt brand is processed and labeled could be a very lengthy discussion. So if you are into that sort of thing I highly recommend the "Is Your Salt Real" booklet by Redmond Trading. They have definitely done their homework. And since I am personally not much into the details of chemistry I just buy one of the two salt brands shown above - Real Salt or Celtic Sea Salt (the Himalayan brands are good as well) - that I am certain are unrefined and call it a day. :) Other brands that either list just one ingredient or no ingredients may be unrefined as well, but again there are quite a few different processing and packaging loopholes that can makes things more complicated than they should be, so I just like to stick to what I know.
I am so thankful to my friend's advice - because it certainly saved me a lot of trouble and doctor appointments! - but also enabled me to feel better. Isn't it amazing what you can sometimes learn from a bunch of close fellow mom friends? Has anyone else had a medical "aha" moment thanks to advice from a friend? I'd love to hear the details in the comments.
CiCi says
Thank you SO much for this post. I have had light headed/dizzy spells 1-2 times a week since I've been cutting out processed food. My doctor ran tests and couldn't find anything wrong and even mentioned my blood pressure was a little low which in his mind was "good." I'll try adding some more good salt to our recipes. Thank you!!!!
Courtney says
So did I miss someone's comment about iodine? This has been my only question about using real salt. Which I just love!! How and why gives us iodine if we don't get it from iodized salt?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Courtney. If you are eating out, eating any kind of packaged foods (ie: whole wheat pretzels)during a normal week, you are likely getting plenty of iodized table salt. In addition, here is a list of foods which are good sources of iodine: http://bembu.com/iodine-rich-foods. Beyond that if you are concerned about your iodine levels, be sure to check with your physician. ~Amy
phil says
What about iodine, the essential life supporting element in refined table salt? There is no iodine in sea salt is there?
Bridget says
I have always been a salt junkie, and now that I don't have any processed foods I need to use even more. Being active and a someone who perspires a lot I feel absolutely icky if my sodium gets low. I use quite a bit of Himalayan salt and dried kelp flakes in everything to keep both my iodine and sodium levels up.
Kay says
I, too have low blood pressure and have experienced light head you described..knowing its because of the low blood pressure or I have not had water or food for a while.
Years ago my mother passed out on a hot summer day while watching a long parade. She made it home and the lightheadedness became common. She had a catheter exploration test and the Dr. reported. She has a wonderful circulatory system. She needs Salt. My mother had been purposefully reducing salt, responding to the general announcements that too much salt is not healthy.. and she was perspiring(losing sodium from her body) a lot on the day of the parade.
My daughter-in-law shared your blog with me..(the mother of 4 of my beautiful and healthy grands)
Katrina says
I have also had lightheaded episodes a few times. I also know I have low blood pressure. but I had no idea salt could be a culprit! Thnks for the ino.
Carolyn says
Great post. My aunt recently developed brain trauma from a reduced salt diet (hyponatremia), so I know too well that eliminating it can be dangerous. Moderation is really key!
Patty says
I didn't have an "aha" moment from a friend, but from an article on Facebook.I've been on a low salt diet to reduce blood pressure. I too would get dizzy spells.I also was having bad memory, got confused easily, that really effected my life.Then during a heatwave I thought I was starting to get heatstroke, so I decided to increase salt(sea salt)temporarily.Soon ALL of those symptoms disappeared! I'm checking my blood pressure and it has been okay.As your blog stated, don't overdo it, but I was "underdoing" it. Salt has such a bad rap, we're told the less the better.I believe now this is wrong, as the article I read stated. It listed symptoms of low salt, one was being effected cognitively. Aha!
Jen says
YES! Real salt is SO important. It provides so many trace minerals as well, and it DOES NOT cause hight blood pressure like fake/processed salt does. It's amazing stuff and needs to be in your diet. It helps keep your metabolism faster and your organs functioning the way they were meant to. Pink Himalayan has iodine in it...you don't need Morton's!
Elizabeth says
I too am interested in what research has been done regarding the health effects of eliminating iodized salt intake. The practice of producing "iodized salt" was originally introduced as a means of providing a simple solution to iodine deficiencies experienced nationwide. As a result, we no longer see these deficiencies today. I agree that utilizing unrefined salt is preferable, particularly when looking at the other additives listed on the labels of refined salt. However I am a little worried about eliminating that source of iodine from my diet entirely, as this is also an essential nutrient. Any tips?
Heather V says
My naturopath had recommended getting my son to eat DULSE or Seaweed for my son who is having leg cramps (it has magnesium). When I looked at the package it included Iodine in the list of vitamins. I went to go look at the package just now and they didn't include the iodine this time but from what I remember 1/3 cup was over 500% of your daily intake of iodine. Go do some research on it. I put the DULSE in my green smoothies now.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Also, here is a list of foods that are good sources of iodine: http://bembu.com/iodine-rich-foods. ~Amy
Christine says
What are you thoughts on yellow prussiate of soda an anti-caking agent found in Morton's Kosher salt? Never have I thought to read a salt label and find more than just salt....
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi there Christine. I would look for a Kosher salt without additives. ~Amy
Stephanie says
Thank you for this article! I had no idea that one could get the daily amount of iodine in regular food and not just from table salt. My husband is really big on iodized salt but he also eats eggs everyday and likes cheese. I'm not a big fan of eggs but I do eat a lot of yogurt.
I hardly ever added salt to my foods, matter of fact I found most salt too salty, until I had a total colectomy and a temporary ileostomy. The ileostomy causes me to lose a lot of fluids which makes me very dehydrated and have exaggerated symptoms of what you experienced. Because I lose so much salt I add a lot more salt to my dishes and recipes then I normally would. The funny thing now is that I developed a taste for it and sometimes I just crave salt. I get my ileostomy removed at the end of this month so hopefully my taste buds and body's chemistry will go back to normal. In the mean time I hope to convince hubby we do not need regular table salt that has sugar in it, yuck!
Kelly says
Great info! I was on an ultra low sodium diet for several years, and I recently added salt back in. Going to check my labels to make sure I am using quality salt. I really appreciate your posts. Their content is always so relevant and useful!
Lisa says
I am so glad to hear that :)
Michelle says
Thank you for posting this interesting entry. I (erroneously) have put salt/sodium in my "avoid" category, so I cringe when I see my kids salt their food at the dinner table. Since I make almost everything they eat from scratch, I suspect their sodium intake is on the low side, even with their salt-shaking at the table. This entry will help me to be less tense when I see them shaking it on!
Mike Bryant says
http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=18311&page=3
Kristen says
Thanks for sharing! I was having heart palpitations, which turned out to be benign sinus tachycardia, but the cardiologist I saw said to make sure to eat enough salt as lack of salt can contribute to tachycardia.
April says
Do real salts have iodine? I need it for my
Thyroid condition!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi April. It does have some naturally occurring iodine but in far smaller amounts than table salt. Be sure to follow your doctors advice regarding iodine. ~Amy
Carrie says
Thank you for posting this! I have been experiencing the same thing upon standing up occasionally since we have cut out highly processed food. I didn't know lack of sodium could cause it.
Lesley says
this is a book I am reading. I just finished reading about how they refine sugar and how labels trick us. I imagine there will be some discussion on salt at some point. I am really enjoying this book as it talks about the importance of real food on your body. You may want to check it out.
http://www.amazon.com/Science-Skinny-Understanding-Chemistry---ebook/dp/B0080K3QEE/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1374544824&sr=1-1&keywords=the+science+of+skinny
Lea says
A friend of mine who is a surgical nurse and nutritional wellness practitioner told me that salt also supports certain brain functions, which without can lead to depression.
Janice says
Are friends who aren't "fellow moms" unintelligent and insignificant?
Lisa says
Um, no? That's a rather harsh takeaway (and off-topic I might add) from what I wrote above.
Rachel says
Lisa was referring to her specific "mom friend" (that's what moms often call their friends with kids whom they met after having kids) who alerted her to the salt issue. Goodness, I can't imagine where one would come to that conclusion!
K says
I thought the same thing when I read it. I am a mom and I know what "mom friends" refers to, but I have recently learned that phases like that needlessly excludes women and men who don't have children. Even child-free adults have knowledge to share about food and lifestyle.
Jen says
I, too, had that issue starting in high school. I would get light headed almost every day. Finally I went to the doctor and he told me to eat more salt! My blood pressure continues to be low (usually 90 something over 60 something, so I have never been too concerned about my salt intake.
Juliana says
I had the same problem when I was in my early 20's, so now I lightly salt most dishes, and as you said, freely salt them when it seems like they need it (mostly just beans). Since I rarely eat processed food (and my blood pressure is always a little low), I feel like that's the healthy thing to do.
Amy Breshears says
Have you been to Salts of the Earth here in the Charlotte area yet? I think it is near Lake Norman. It is on my list of places to visit ASAP!
Lisa says
No, I haven't - never heard of it. Thanks for sharing!
AJ says
I was just looking at the salts in my cabinet trying to figure out which was the healthier choice the other day. I feel like I have been tricked by labels so many times that I couldn't keep things straight in my head :( thanks for going over it for me. I have some refined salt that I got from a grocery store in my hometown that I had shopped in as a child. I think I will pour it out and put the sea salt in the container with the name of the store. Then I get the best of both worlds .
Sarah says
From the link about Real Salt: "instead of using chemically-processed, unhealthy salt in order to get iodine, we like to stick with Real Salt and get naturally occurring iodine from other delicious sources like kelp, yogurt, eggs, strawberries, and mozzarella cheese."
Kerrie says
I have had the same exact problem. Now when I have been sweating a lot or feel some of the symptoms creating up I mix up my "Gatorade" recipe:
Juice of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 orange
1tbsp grade B maple syrup
Several shakes of one of the salts you listed above
Mixed into 8oz of water.
Before I realized that I needed to add salt to my diet more I actually did pass out (3seperate times- I'm slow at figuring things like that out:)
I'm very glad to see a post about this topic! It's was life changing to me!
Lisa says
Thanks for the recipe!
sandy says
My husband will be thrilled with this "Gatorade" recipe...Thanks. And Lisa, thanks for the salt info.
Also, everyone please consider ASEA as part of your health regimen. ASEA is Redox Signaling molecules;a non-toxic, perfectly balanced mixture of Redox Signaling molecules, similar to those constantly produced by all living healthy cells. ASEA enhances and activates the native antioxidants needed to protect and detoxify the cells; and at the same time supplements the signaling molecules needed to repair or replace damaged cells and restore healthy tissue and immune function.
teamasea.com/jadavis
Donna says
My sister was diagnosed with this condition earlier this summer. She passed out 5 times within a span of an hour and was rushed to the hospital from the middle of a NASCAR camp ground. Once stabilized and home, her doctor ran tests and told her to put the salt shaker back on the table (which she had removed to help her diabetic/heart troubled husband). He also told her to eat a large dill pickle every day. No more issues.
Kristina says
Is kosher salt put in the same category as table salt?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hello Kristina. Kosher salt is a more coarse salt that is usually additive free.
Shannon says
I had the same issue just recently. Also, I wanted to add that I also became hypothyroid, just ever so slightly because when I cut table salt, it also took out the iodine. My doctor just told me to add it back in today, and I didn't notice you addressing that issue as well.
Kelly says
I am a dietitian and have experienced similar issues of lightheadedness. For several assignments in school, we had to track our food intake over a few days. No one ever believed that my sodium intake could be less than 500mg a day. Once I saw these numbers, I started using the salt shaker a little more liberally because it helps increase blood pressure to normal levels. I hardly eat any packaged food and workout 7-10 hours a week and I sweat a lot so I'm not really worried about too much. However, most of my clients really struggle with getting it below 2g. My biggest tip is to cook from scratch... easier said than done.
Lara Hill says
Great info, I have been researching iodine as well. We really need that for our thyroid and multiple other things yet it's not in sea salt. Hard to get that in the diet.
Ashley says
Have you done any research on iodized vs non iodized?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hello Ashley. Lisa did consult with her physician who assured her that by eating out just one day a week she is likely getting enough iodized table salt. There are also many foods which are good sources of iodine. This link should help: http://bembu.com/iodine-rich-foods. ~Amy
K.Dub says
Interestingly enough, I have to use plain old regular "iodine" salt because of some thyroid issues I have. I LOVE the taste and texture of sea salt but I want to make sure I keep my levels up. Other ways to do this with unrefined foods are with seafood and eggs, but I have some serious allergies in that category so I just stick to the salt. ;-)
Alicia says
I have heard recently that people are not getting enough iodine due to eating more sea salt. Anybody else know about this or recommend a good salt that also has iodine?
Roxy says
I have read they are finding Iodine deficiency can be a problem with pregnant women especially. In those cases, I've seen that they recommend you take prenatal vitamins with iodine. So that could be one way to go if prenatal vitamins would work for you. I took them years before getting knocked up lol and my doc was happy with that :)
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hello. :) As stated above, Lisa did consult with her physician who assured her that by eating out just one day a week you are likely getting plenty of iodized table salt. There are also many foods which are good sources of iodine. This link should help: http://bembu.com/iodine-rich-foods. ~Amy
Stacey says
Are you at all concerned about the lack of iodine in unrefined salt? I just saw an episode of Dr. Oz that talked about how many more people are experiencing thyroid problems due to lack if iodine from substituting sea salt and other salts for traditional iodized salt.
Merriett Ferris says
if you are taking a mineral supplement at all then you will be getting the iodine that you need. Most (if not all) multi-vitamins have iodine. I take a mineral supplement along with my multi vitamin because you can actually re-mineralize your teeth and heal cavities (as well as heal many other illnesses due to mineral deficiencies).
Vivian says
In Canada years ago iodine was added to table salt so that this problem was avoided. We must remember there are some genuine reasons for some foods to have more than one ingredient. As with everything else all things in moderation.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Also, to address this a little further, Lisa did consult with her physician who assured her that by eating out just one day a week she is likely getting plenty of iodized table salt. There are also many foods which are good sources of iodine. This link should help: http://bembu.com/iodine-rich-foods. ~Amy
Stephanie says
I also learned that I had low sodium while training for a 10K. I'm now training for a half marathon and am making sure to have enough salt while training. Thanks for bringing this (possibly negative) effect of eating real food to people's attention. I had actually been avoiding salt like you. Now I put some on my air popped popcorn and on my vegetables which I had stopped doing totally.
mrs.estepp says
Ah, I remember those times well when I WOULD actually pass out due to low blood pressure. I'd stand up and hit the floor. The summers required me to drink more and drink more electrolyte solutions, especially when outside.
They used to give football players salt tablets while training/playing in the summer, but then they would overdose them and make them sick..
Megan says
I have had similar dizzy spells. I didn't know a lack of salt may be involved. Thanks for the post!
Summer Frace says
Real sea salt just tastes so much better as well. I love the pink himalayan salt. I've also tried some black Hawaiian salt that had nice flavor.