Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

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Hi all, my question is about industrial salt and if it is worth itself. Problems I have heard rumors about re: industiral salt in foods and that have arisen in my own dietary practices: (1) it appears to increase hunger/desire to eat. Why?(all conditions in the diet were the same but for the inclusion of salt and hunger was absent otherwise-this is a general clause for all the 'rumors'/hypotheses listed here). (2) it causes excretion of nutrients(a feeling of deficiency or less 'sufficiency' than normal in my diet) (3) it causes joint stiffness/deposits(increase stiffness of joints, cracking of joints post consumption). These symptoms occured after consuming at a given time, eg. 1 can of Tuna(drained, packed in water), 40-60 grams of cheese. Any diagnoses as to this problem. Cheap protein sources or lack of prefereable alternatives sometimes dictate the consumption of foods containing industrial salt(sad abut true). Would it be advisable to omit the salt-containing foods altogether despite their protein/nutritional value? If not, what health obstacles would one stumble into down life's path?

flag	asked May 6 2011 at 15:21 PersonMan

	Very freudian title. – Thomas Seay May 6 2011 at 17:02
	a cigar is only a cigar 'cum grano salis'...how bout salt Thomas; do you indulge? – PersonMan May 6 2011 at 17:13
	I generally consume Celtic Sea Salt, but I don't sweat it, if I have to occasionally eat regular table salt, like Morton's. – Thomas Seay May 6 2011 at 21:47
	I'm wondering why salt is the suspected perpetrator of yr symptoms in this meal. I would question the cheese first, and then the 'water' packed tuna (often veg broth containing soy). – g. May 7 2011 at 3:00
	its definitely water-packed tuna as I can tell the difference(I had made the mistake of buying the broth-kind previously and could tell right away). AS to the cheese it is/was a rare source. But would you know the answer to the question about the symptoms, eg. excretion of nutrients, deposits in the joints, and hunger pangs---caused(hypothesis) by industrial salt)? – PersonMan May 7 2011 at 12:53

UncleLongHair · Answer 1 · 2011-05-06 17:53:13Z UTC

As a general rule, I think that when you separate a component from a natural food and then consume it in abundance, you are asking for trouble.

Consider corn syrup, especially HCFS, which is sugar separated from the other nutrients and minerals in corn. Corn can be a dietary staple (not very Paleo but civilizations have been based upon it), but this definitely doesn't apply to corn syrup.

Similarly I think that honey, especially "dirty" natural honey, is far better for you than refined sugar, since the vitamins and minerals slows your body's absorption of the sugar (even though it is still a sugar), gives you at least some nutrition, and your body doesn't learn to accept the ultra-sweet taste of refined sugar.

Along these lines, I think that extracting just the salt away from the other minerals that come with natural salt such as sea salt is not a good idea, you're isolating one component and leaving the other vitamins and minerals behind.

It turns out that the iodine in commercial salt is the main source of iodine for a lot of people, which once upon a time was a good thing since iodine is needed to prevent some thyroid conditions. If you did cut commercial salt completely out of your diet, and weren't eating other sources of iodine, you might consider eating some roasted seaweed every now and then to make it up.

Anonymous Coward · Answer 2 · 2011-05-06 15:34:10Z UTC

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Be safe and stick to salt like this.

answered May 6 2011 at 15:34

Anonymous Coward
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	Thanks for the feedback AC Slater, but what do you think about consumption of foods already containing salt(industrial version)? AS to the health consequences? I have also thought of including sea salt from france(allegedly; "la baleine' store-bought brand) as an iodine/thyroid booster. How does this compare to your preference? – PersonMan May 6 2011 at 17:16
	baleine has iodine!?? good to know. that's what i use but i've been worrying about insufficiency. – g. May 6 2011 at 22:04
	egg yolks have iodine and I consume 6 per day. I have backed off on the sea salt though for fear of the above "conditions": nutrient excresence, deposits in the joints, and hunger pangs/ravenous desire-to-eat-syndrome – PersonMan May 7 2011 at 0:56

Kathi · Answer 3 · 2011-05-06 17:42:07Z UTC

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I use Himalayan salt (pink) for the minerals. I have heard this is a waste of money, but... I have also read good things. Since salt is used in relatively small quantities. The price difference is minimal. In doubt, I prefer this alternative to standard industrial salt.

answered May 6 2011 at 17:42

Kathi
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	Nice to hear Kathi but what of the problems listed above? Do you have any ideas/solutions? – PersonMan May 6 2011 at 17:51
	paleohacks.com/questions/6011/… – Kathi May 6 2011 at 17:53

industrial salt and its discontents

3 Answers