Don't Be Afraid to Eat Salt!
Real salt has gotten a bad rap, but it is actually an essential part of the diet!
It is a fabulous source of trace minerals, assists in blood sugar balance, improves digestion, decreases stress hormones (so helps with sleep!), among other benefits.
That said, we don’t want to settle for regular iodized or “sea salt” for the optimal health effects. We want to get real sea salt for the greatest concentration of trace minerals. There are about 60 trace minerals in each of the varieties below. Alternating between these varieties will give your bod some of the natural variations it craves!
Salt your foods to your taste preferences- if your body is craving it, it’s a pretty safe bet it’s in need of the mineral and sodium content. In the case of adrenal fatigue, a sluggish metabolism, or thyroid dysfunction, it is beneficial to consume a liberal amount of salt.
Balanced Blood Sugar: Salt can actually improve insulin sensitivity (so makes your blood sugar levels- and energy!- more stable throughout the day).
Optimal Digestion: Salt is necessary to maintain an acidic stomach pH because of its chloride content. With proper production of hydrochloric (stomach) acid, the pH of your stomach will stay between 1.5-2.0. If the pH is more alkaline, food will be incompletely digested.
Less Stress: Salt has been shown to reduce the levels of circulating stress hormones, mainly cortisol. This can also lead to metabolic benefits as high cortisol levels can contribute to weight gain and hypothyroidism.
Mighty Minerals: Magnesium deficiency is very common in our country, due to the prevalence of highly-processed, nutrient-devoid food. Even if you’ve switched to real food, you may still be slightly deficient. Salt content affects aldosterone, the hormone which regulates water and mineral balance. More salt in the diet will increase the absorption of magnesium and other essential minerals.
Soothing Sleep: Sufficient sodium in the diet allows for decreased excitatory neurotransmitters, which promotes the action of serotonin and melatonin (our sleep-inducing hormones). This allows you to fall asleep more quickly & stay asleep for longer.
The bottom line: Don't fear salt. Salt is Real Food, the Way God Made It!