Just as Bill C-460 The Sodium Reduction Strategy for Canada Act was defeated by the Canadian government, the headlines on sodium seemed to back up the MPs who have abandoned their constituents’ health.
But keep in mind that headlines are meant to catch your attention and as happens all too often, they don’t tell the whole story.
The headlines screamed about the dangers of a low sodium diet.
Here’s a sampling:
- News: Institute of Medicine: Lowering daily sodium intake below 2300 milligrams may do more harm than good
- Pass the salt? IOM warns that low-sodium diet can cause problems
- IOM Report Cautions Against Drastic Sodium Reduction
- New Salt Study Warns Against Low Sodium Diet
- IOM: No clear benefits to slashing sodium intake to 1500 mg/day
But hold on, what’s this debate about? Our average intake is a whopping 3400 milligrams a day – that’s more than double the level they’re talking about.
The report did say that studies showed that the lower level of sodium- 1500 milligrams a day – was linked to harm in some groups.
Just who are these people?
Hold on to your hats: The report states, “ some studies indicate that low sodium intake may lead to greater risk of adverse health effects in patients who have a diagnosis of moderate or severe congestive heart failure and are receiving certain aggressive therapeutic treatments.”
Harmful to those with congestive heart failure? Give me a break.
The committee does indeed conclude that the evidence supports a positive relationship between higher levels of sodium intake and risk of cardiovascular disease.
Health groups, such as the American Heart Association and the Center for Science in the Public Interest, to name a few, continue to urge that mandatory limits on salt in packaged foods be imposed.
As I said, news reports may have a very damaging effect on your health.
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Do you always read beyond the headlines? What do you think about those involving slashing sodium intakes? Please share in the comment section below.
Enlightened Eater 
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