Salt (Sodium), Cardiovascular Health, & Lupus

A Balanced Diet with Salt—Not Sodium Is salt the same thing as sodium? Not exactly. Sodium is a naturally occurring mineral that is in foods like celery, beets, and milk. It’s also very common in processed foods. Table salt, known by it’s chemical name, is NaCl for sodium chloride. It is roughly 40% sodium. Check out this article from the American Heart Association to learn more about the differences between the two. There needs to be more evidence in proving salt is an environmental trigger for autoimmune disease. This hypothesis is founded in countries or groups of people that eat modernized or industrialized diets. “Junk food” or any type of overly processed foods do contain a high amount of sodium, but it also contains other ingredients that are not healthy for the body. The body naturally craves salt. When eating a whole foods diet, most people get their fill of salt from just 1.5 to 3 teaspoons per day, which has a very low hypertension risk associated with it. The DASH diet is a great guide for low-sodium intake. And as always, make sure there is plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean meats and proteins, and unprocessed grains for a healthy, balanced dietary regimen.

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