It’s time to spice things down.
Seasoning is arguably the most exciting part of eating food, as it has the power to enhance natural flavors and add complexity to any dish.
But one cardiologist is sounding the alarm on a supposedly upscale seasoning — and, fair warning, her advice might leave you feeling salty.
While salt is an essential electrolyte that plays a crucial role in fluid balance and nerve and muscle function, too much of it can spike your blood pressure, thereby increasing your risk of heart disease and stroke.
The American Heart Association advises limiting sodium intake to no more than 2,300 milligrams per day — roughly one teaspoon of table salt — with an ideal target of 1,500 mg for most adults, especially those with high blood pressure.
However, the average American consumes around 3,400 mg of sodium daily.
And not all salt is created equal, either.
While coarse salt has been deemed the most sophisticated choice of sodium chloride, mostly thanks to its popularity among professional chefs — and the cute little ramekins they use to store it in — it might not be the healthiest option.
Dr. Susan Cheng, a cardiologist in the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles, told Today.com that the crunchy texture of this “fancy” salt might make it easier to overindulge.
“The less expensive regular salt you get from the grocery store that is not so fancy or coarse gives you as much taste for much less volume of salt. You’re ingesting less salt,” Cheng told the outlet.
Cardiologist Dr. Evan Levine has also previously warned his nearly 225,000 TikTok followers against jumping on the trendy salt train.
In a video on the biggest TikTok healthcare lies, he ranted against the Celtic sea salt craze, which has gained traction because it’s less processed and contains negligible amounts of minerals.
“Guess what? It’s sodium chloride like your salt,” he said.
“It has trace — little itsy bitsy — amounts of calcium, potassium … and that’s it.”
Experts generally agree that regular table salt is actually the healthiest choice for most people.
That’s because it’s fortified with iodine, an essential mineral that helps prevent iodine deficiency, which can lead to thyroid problem.
Many gourmet salts — such as Himalayan, Kosher or sea salt — don’t contain added iodine.
Table salt has smaller, uniform grains, so you’re more likely to use less without sacrificing flavor.
And it’s regulated for purity and consistency, which means fewer contaminants or trace heavy metals that can sometimes show up in unrefined salts.
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