{"id":7336,"date":"2025-05-18T16:38:35","date_gmt":"2025-05-18T20:38:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vitacru.com\/?p=7336"},"modified":"2026-05-20T15:00:11","modified_gmt":"2026-05-20T19:00:11","slug":"salt-good-or-bad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vitacru.com\/en\/sante-globale\/le-sel-bon-ou-mauvais\/","title":{"rendered":"Salt: Good or Bad?"},"content":{"rendered":"

An ancient treasure turned suspect<\/strong><\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n

For millennia, salt was so valuable that Roman soldiers were paid with it\u2014which is also the origin of the word salary<\/em>. The salt roads crisscrossed entire continents. In Ethiopia, salt bars served as currency for over a thousand years. Wars were fought to control it, and empires were financed through its taxes. Ancient peoples were not mistaken: they recognized in this crystal an essential food for vitality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hippocrates himself, the father of medicine, recommended salt to cure infections and clear the airways. The physician Paracelsus wrote: \u00abA human being must have salt. Where there is no salt, everything tends to decompose.\u00bb<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then, somewhere in the 20th century, salt became public enemy number one. \u00abCut back on salt!\u00bb we've been told for decades. But here's the question nobody asks: What salt are we talking about, exactly?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is the question that Dr. David Brownstein, author of Salt Your Way to Health<\/em>, decided to dig deeper. And his conclusion is fascinating: it's not salt itself that's the problem \u2013 it's what we've done with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Refined salt: an imposter in your kitchen<\/strong><\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s in most salt shakers bears almost no resemblance to the original salt. During refining, salt is treated with chemicals\u2014sometimes sulfuric acid or chlorine\u2014to remove its natural minerals (which are then sold to industry). The moisture is removed, the salt is bleached, and the result is a product with a \u00abpurity\u00bb of 99.7%. But purity<\/em> Here it means: sodium and chloride, period. Everything else\u2014the 80+ minerals that nature put there\u2014has been removed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And that\u2019s not all. Up to 2% of refined salt contains preservatives: sodium ferrocyanide, ammonium citrate, and aluminum silicate. Dextrose (a refined sugar) is even added to stabilize the iodine. It\u2019s no longer salt\u2014it\u2019s an industrial product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It's a bit like taking a fresh fruit, removing its vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants, then adding preservatives... and then blaming the fruit for our health problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Real Salt Does for Your Body<\/strong><\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n

When the body is given back a complete, intact, unprocessed salt, something remarkable happens. Dr. Brownstein reports, after years of clinical practice, that unrefined salt supports the body on several fronts: the thyroid and adrenal glands function better, blood pressure regulates more naturally, energy returns, headaches become less frequent, and even cholesterol can improve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why such a wide effect? Because unrefined salt is much more than just \u00absodium.\u00bb It contains over 80 trace elements and minerals that your body uses for essential functions: pH balance, enzyme activity, immune response, and hormonal balance. Magnesium, potassium, calcium, selenium, iron\u2014all naturally present in the proportions your body recognizes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Mark Sircus, a naturally-minded physician, even points out that the mineral composition of seawater strangely resembles that of our blood plasma. This is no coincidence: our bodies evolved over millennia with these marine minerals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pH test: simple and telling proof<\/strong><\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Here is an experiment you can reproduce at home. Dr. Brownstein reports that by adding a teaspoon of Celtic salt to half a glass of filtered water, the water's pH changes from 6.4 to about 7.0 \u2013 thus becoming more alkaline. The same amount of refined salt? It makes to go down<\/em> The pH at 6.0 - more acidic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It's telling. Refined salt, stripped of its buffering minerals, acidifies the body. Unrefined salt, on the other hand, helps maintain a neutral pH. And in naturopathy, we know that an acidic terrain is a vulnerable terrain\u2014conducive to fatigue, inflammation, hormonal imbalances, and chronic diseases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When lack of salt exhausts your adrenals<\/strong><\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Your adrenal glands\u2014those small glands above your kidneys\u2014are the gatekeepers of your energy, stress management, and blood pressure. They produce cortisol, DHEA, aldosterone, and several other vital hormones. And guess what: they have Need<\/em> of salt and minerals to function.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Brownstein notes that chronic use of refined salt, combined with a low-salt diet, is one of the major causes of adrenal burnout he sees exploding in his practice. Without magnesium, without potassium, without the right sodium \u2013 the adrenals run on empty. The result? Constant fatigue, brain fog, inability to exercise, blood pressure that drops upon standing, palpitations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In his clinic, he reports cases of patients with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue who recover significantly simply by reintroducing unrefined salt and pure water into their daily lives \u2014 sometimes in just a few days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Salt and your thyroid: a little-known link<\/strong><\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The thyroid is a gland extremely sensitive to the body's nutritional status. To function properly, it must convert its inactive hormone (T4) into active hormone (T3). This conversion directly depends on minerals like selenium, magnesium, and iodine\u2014elements present in unrefined salt but completely absent from table salt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Brownstein also points out a fascinating paradox: the iodine added to refined salt is very poorly absorbed by the body. It is estimated that only 10% of this iodine is actually bioavailable\u2014partly because of bleaching agents (chlorine) that block its absorption. The result: despite decades of iodized salt, iodine levels in the North American population dropped by 50% between the 1970s and 2000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unrefined salt does not contain added iodine, but it provides the necessary mineral terrain for the thyroid to function well. By combining good salt with quality iodine supplementation, you give this gland everything it needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The hidden dangers of a low-salt diet<\/strong><\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n

We are presented with the low-salt diet as a healthy choice. However, clinical data tell a different story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The heart suffers from it.<\/strong> A study of nearly 3,000 patients with high blood pressure showed a 430% increase in heart attacks in the group consuming the minus<\/em> of salt. Why? Because a low-salt diet depletes the body of magnesium, potassium, and calcium \u2014 three minerals essential for cardiovascular health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Insulin is rising.<\/strong> Low-salt diets increase insulin levels\u2014a factor directly linked to diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome, and obesity. Dr. Brownstein states that it is virtually impossible to treat insulin resistance in a patient who avoids salt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cholesterol is rising.<\/strong> Low-sodium diets have been linked to increases of more than 10% in total cholesterol and LDL\u2014the opposite of what we\u2019re trying to achieve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toxins accumulate.<\/strong> The chloride in salt is essential for the body to eliminate bromine, a toxic element that is increasingly present in our diet (baked goods, soft drinks, pesticides). Without enough salt, bromine remains trapped in the body. Animal studies show that a low-salt diet prolongs bromine retention by 833 %. In humans, it takes about 12 days for bromine levels in the body to decrease by half\u2014and this timeframe increases significantly when salt is lacking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Three unrefined salts to know<\/strong><\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Not all unrefined salts are created equal. Here are the three main families to explore:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Redmond Salt (Real Salt)<\/strong> Mined from an ancient seabed in Redmond, Utah, this salt is naturally protected from modern pollutants by a layer of bentonite clay. It contains over 60 trace minerals and offers a subtly sweet flavor that enhances dishes without overpowering them. Sourced and packaged by a single company, ensuring quality control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Redmond Real Salt <\/a>is protected from modern pollutants. It is pure, unprocessed, and full of trace elements that give it unique nutritional benefits and a subtly sweet flavor that brings out the best in every bite.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Celtic sea salt<\/strong> Harvested using an ancient method invented by the Celts over 2,000 years ago. Seawater is channeled into clay basins on the coast of France, then dried by wind and sun. The salt is hand-harvested with wooden tools\u2014the same technique used in the past. Over 80 trace elements, a rich and mineral taste, and simple traceability since a single company manages harvesting and packaging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Himalayan salt<\/strong> \u2014 Mined from the Khewra mine in Pakistan, at the foot of the Himalayas. Its beautiful pink color is appealing, but beware of a little marketing ploy: it\u2019s often sold with the claim that it contains \u00ab84 trace elements.\u00bb In reality, the 24 additional elements compared to other salts are present at less than 0.00001 %\u2014which, in a laboratory setting, essentially equates to \u00abnot detected.\u00bb This salt remains a good choice, but since it passes through many distributors, read the labels carefully to ensure it hasn\u2019t been processed or adulterated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to integrate it into daily life<\/strong><\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Nothing complicated here: simply replace your refined table salt with a good unrefined salt. It's generally recommended to have between 1 and 2 teaspoons per day, depending on your weight and activity level. Add it to your meals, to your water in the morning to support your adrenals, or to a sole (saturated salt water) for gentle remineralization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The important thing isn't to choose \u00abthe best\u00bb salt in an absolute sense\u2014it's to ensure that the one you use is truly unrefined, whole, and additive-free. Its color is a good indicator: true unrefined salt is never perfectly white. It's gray, pinkish, or slightly tinted\u2014that's the signature of its minerals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A few nuances to remember<\/strong><\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n

As with everything in naturopathy, balance is key. Unrefined salt is a valuable ally, but it doesn't replace a varied diet and a healthy lifestyle. People suffering from kidney failure should be particularly cautious with their salt intake \u2014 as the kidneys have a reduced ability to eliminate excess. If you have specific conditions, consult a healthcare professional who understands the difference between refined salt and whole salt \u2014 it changes everything in the assessment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take back control of your salt shaker<\/strong><\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n

It's fascinating to realize how a simple gesture like changing your salt can impact your vitality. The human body evolved for millennia with salt \u2013 real salt. Giving it back what it needs is already a step towards more balance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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References<\/em><\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n