Salt, Sodium, and the Microbiome
Salt and Sodium Are Not the Same
Have you ever had a can of soup and had to add salt to it for taste, despite the fact that it contains hundreds of milligrams of sodium? That is because this sodium, added to preserve the product, does not actually have a salty taste. The salty taste comes from the chloride in salt.
Sodium, a part of the salt, is a necessary mineral. It is an electrolyte, which creates negatively charged ions. It aids in nerve impulse transmission, muscle contraction, and fluid balance. We need sodium to survive. The problem is that processed food production utilizes it in order to cure meats, to alter flavors by either hiding unpleasant tastes or enhancing desired ones, and to retain moisture. Up to 75% of the sodium we consume on a daily basis is for these reasons.
The problem with sodium, is that in excess it acts like a magnet for water. This pulls excess fluid from the interstitial fluid into the blood vessels. This added fluid can increase blood pressure and do damage to the vessel walls, potentially leading to cardiovascular disease, blood clots, and strokes. One Eastern medicine explanation of this phenomena is that excessive sodium intake not only messes with fluid metabolism, but has the added effect of increasing dryness in the tissues. This dryness can lead to the above mentioned issues, and others that fall into the category of yin deficiency. The symptoms associated with a lack of yin, or necessary juiciness in the tissues, include emotional ups and downs, anxiety, insomnia, dryness of hair, skin, nails, and mucus membranes like those in the respiratory and digestive tracts and vagina, muscle pain, fatigue, and hot flashes. In addition, excessive sodium intake also taxes the kidneys, and inhibits the function of the microbiome.
The microbiome has also been shown to sustain damage by a diet high in sodium. The average adult requires only 500 mg of sodium a day, yet it is considered safe to have 1500 mg. Those consuming well above that 1500 mg have been shown to take a hit to lactobacillus counts in the gut. Lactobacillus is a necessary type of beneficial gut microbe. There are various strains of lactobacillus, and they perform extremely important functions in the body. The ones depleted by sodium in a recent study, the summary of which can be found here, https://www.gutmicrobiotaforhealth.com/is-it-time-to-cut-down-on-salt-for-gut-microbiome-health/, were shown to produce several short chain fatty acids (SCFA’s). These SCFA’s are discussed in my upcoming book, Cultivating Your Microbiome, and are responsible for keeping inflammatory responses in check. This study concluded they lowered blood pressure, particularly in women, and improved arterial compliance. When sodium intake was reduced, or the diet supplemented with specific probiotics, the lactobacillus bounced back, and SCFA production increased.
In another study, found here, https://www.nature.com/articles/nature24628, researchers found in mice that not only did a high salt diet increase the likelihood of hypertension, but also of inflammation, and in turn, autoimmune conditions. It turns out that the environment in the gut is imperative for the survival of our beneficial bacteria, and by extension ourselves. If the gut is too wet, too dry, too oxygenated, too hot, too cold, and now we know, too salty, it is not just right for our little critters to thrive. We’re striving for a Goldilocks gut environment. In order to understand how we may achieve that, at least in terms of sodium and salt intake, let’s explore their differences further, and what Natural medicines recommend.
So what is the difference between sodium and salt? How much is too much? How much is just enough? Sodium is an element in the periodic table and is less than one half of the equation when it comes to salt. A molecule of salt is 40% sodium and 60 % chloride. This chloride is what makes us crave potato chips: It accounts for the salty taste! As mentioned above, it is what is lacking in the canned and processed foods that make up so much of the modern diet. Examples of foods that are high in sodium include bacon, cheese, ham, ready made stock, ketchup, soy sauce, cheeses, mustard, and pretty much anything pre-made and packaged. It is best to use these products in moderation.
Being mindful of what you’re choosing to eat is important, and not just in terms of added sodium, but in terms of how much salt you add and what kind of salt it is that you’re using. Many pre-prepared foods and restaurant foods contain white salt, which is considered harsh for the tissues in Eastern medicine. White salt, known as table salt, is refined, or processed to remove impurities. It is mined and stripped of these impurities, including its minerals like potassium and calcium. This refining process makes table salt a processed food according to Eastern medicine, and it slightly increases the sodium content as compared to other salt types that retain their minerals.
Other types of salt that are considered more health promoting, and in the traditional medicine recommendations, necessary, are sea salt, rock salt like Himalayan pink salt, and black salt. Sea salt is made by desalinating ocean or salty lake water. It does contain some minerals, so is preferable to table salt, but not so much as rock salts. Rock salts like Himalayan pink or black salts are those that are mined and just crushed. Himalayan pink salt, not changed or altered in the production process, is considered the most natural. It contains minerals and is used to help maintain the electrolyte balance in the body. Black salt, which contains charcoal, is useful for detoxification and balancing some digestive complaints.
In natural Eastern medicines like those from China, Tibet, and India, salt is a crucial part of the diet. It is one of the six taste classifications, all of which are necessary for the survival of the body and microbiome. Salty taste builds tissue, warms, can stimulate metabolism, is anti-spasmodic, helps to alleviate phlegm and gas, softens hardness, and has moistening, laxative properties. It’s mental/emotional effects are of strengthening will, and building confidence, interest, and enthusiasm. It is associated with optimal kidney meridian function, the season of winter, and building strength. Like anything though, too much is too much. Its excess consumption is mentioned above, with the added mental/emotional effects resulting in potential tendencies to irritability, greed, attachment, and temptation. Good quality sources of salty taste other than the rock salts mentioned above include sea vegetables, miso, soy sauce, and natural brine pickles.
So how much sodium is too much? How much salt? And how do we guesstimate the right amount each day for consumption? The recommended maximum daily allowance of sodium, not salt, for Americans is 2300 mg a day. Just over 2.5 grams of salt contains about a gram of sodium. That’s about a half teaspoon of salt. One teaspoon of salt weighs about 5 grams and has over 2000 mg of sodium. So the max dosage of salt should be capped at a teaspoon a day. This is totally doable, especially if you’re not eating processed food because you’ll be able to track it better. Actually, you’ll probably have even less than this as your max amount.
One of the ways we can control the inflammation in the body, and therefore, ensure an optimal gut environment for our life promoting microbes is to bring awareness to salt intake. A healthy gut makes a happy person! Using good salt, in optimal quantity helps us do just that. If you are interested in learning more about the gut, the microbiome, or in a dietary reset to optimize gut health check out my book, “Cultivating Your Microbiome.”