Salt. Tiny white granules of flavor. Used in ancient times as a preservative of food. So prized by the Romans that they paid part of their soldiers’ wages in salt (the word salary comes from salarium = payment of salt). Nowadays, salt is so easily obtained and plentiful, it appears on every table.

Salt is the most common flavor enhancer in the modern western diet. But is it good for you? How much is too much?

Some salt consumption is absolutely essential in humans. Salt is an electrolyte and basically acts as a conductor for electrical processes in the body. Salt also regulates the body’s water content. Disturbances in the electrolyte balance can lead to cardiac and neurological problems.

Studies published recently state there is an undeniable correlation between salt consumption and risk of death from coronary disease and stroke. But studies published just a year ago, state the opposite - that lowering salt intake seemed to increase risk of death from cardiovascular disease.

From the researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine - February 2006:

The researchers concluded that people who reported restricting daily salt intake to less than 2,300 milligrams a day were significantly more likely to have died from cardiovascular causes than people who ate more salt, even after adjusting for total calorie intake, age, smoking status, and other known risk factors for heart disease.

From a study led by Nancy Cook of Harvard Medical School - April 2007:

The findings, from a 15-year study, offer the clearest evidence yet that cutting salt consumption saves lives by reducing the risks of cardiovascular disease. People who ate less salty food were found to have a 25 per cent lower risk of cardiac arrest or stroke, and a 20 per cent lower risk of premature death. The results, published in the British Medical Journal, underline the need for population-wide salt reductions in the diet, the scientists conclude.

Who’s right?

I don’t know - do I have a 37% higher chance of dying or a 25% less chance of dying?

The second study, related only to individuals who already had high blood pressure. It is not even known for sure how salt increases blood pressure. Contrasting the two diametrically opposed studies, some researchers have come to the conclusion that salt affects different people differently.

To be safe, I will keep my eye on how quickly the salt shaker empties and needs refilling.

Scientists prove that salty diet costs lives

Low Salt Diet May Not Cut Heart Risk

It’s very satisfying to be able to occasionally report on the good news about chocolate. In addition to just tasting good and elevating mood, studies keep showing it provides health benefits by being rich in antioxidants and phenols.

A report in the April 9 issue of JAMA highlights a meta-analysis of previously published trials involving cocoa products and tea. Both cocoa and tea contain polyphenols, which are known to have beneficial effects on cardiovascular health and blood pressure.

Based on the results of these trials - five involving cocoa products and five involving tea consumption - researchers at the University Hospital of Cologne, Germany, concluded that cocoa products, especially dark chocolate, lowered blood pressure levels comparably to blood pressure medication.
Consumption of tea had no effect on blood pressure.

Researchers conclude that it is a difference in the types of phenols contained in the two products that leads to the varying effectiveness - black and green tea contain more compounds known as flavan-3-ols, cocoa contains more of another type of polyphenol, procyanids.

They aren’t recommending widespread consumption of cocoa products to lower blood pressure, mainly because those foods usually also contain high amounts of fat and sugar. Still, dark chocolate is recommended as a better choice than other high-fat or high-calorie desserts.

“Rationally applied, cocoa products might be considered part of dietary approaches to lower hypertension risk”, the authors conclude.

Cocoa, But Not Tea, May Lower Blood Pressure

Diet has once more been implicated in the development of breast cancer. An extensive study at the University of Leeds followed 35,000 women for seven years, tracking eating habits and health.

The findings indicate that eating red meat increases a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer and the risk is even higher for post-menopausal women. The higher the intake of red meat, the higher the chance of breast cancer.

For those eating red meat once a day, the risk is 56% higher than those who abstain from red meat.

The risks are even greater for women eating processed meat, such as bacon, sausage or ham. The women eating the highest amount of these meats increased their chance of developing breast cancer by 64%.

Diet does matter when it comes to breast cancer risk. Other studies have shown that, for pre-menopausal women, a diet high in fiber can cut a woman’s risk of breast cancer in half.

Red meat linked to breast cancer University of Leeds

Ever notice that some people seem to have a metabolism that burns hotter and brighter 24/7 while you often feel that your metabolism has gone on auto shut-off?

There are ways to boost your metabolism and an article at WebMD explores some of those ways. Surprisingly, the more weight you carry, the faster your metabolism. That’s why you often lose weight quickly at the start of a diet but plateau out after you reach a certain weight.

Not surprisingly, the best way to rev up your metabolism is exercise. And weight training can make metabolism higher by building muscle mass. Muscle burns more calories than fat and aids in weight loss by burning calories even when you are at rest.

Red pepper and Green Tea have both been touted as metabolism-raising foods but the evidence for any long-lasting effect is scant. Eating a high-protein diet, on the other hand, has been shown effective for weight loss.

Maybe there is no magic bullet, but through changes in diet and exercise, you can put your metabolism into high gear.

Make The Most of Your Metabolism