The Demonisation of Salt: 50 Years of Misinformation and the Truth Emerging

For the last half-century, salt has been portrayed as one of the great dietary villains — blamed for rising cases of heart disease, hypertension, and other chronic conditions. Doctors, governments, and health organisations have, for decades, urged the public to cut down drastically on salt intake. But like many nutrition “truths” that were born in the mid-to-late 20th century, the demonisation of salt is now being challenged — and in many ways, debunked.

How Did Salt Become the Enemy?

The fear around salt can be traced back to the 1970s, when studies suggested a correlation between sodium intake and high blood pressure. Simplistic conclusions were quickly drawn: salt raises blood pressure, high blood pressure increases heart disease risk, therefore salt must be a leading cause of heart disease.

What followed was a public health campaign of unprecedented scale. "Low sodium" labels filled supermarket shelves. Doctors warned patients to steer clear of salt shakers. Entire food industries were reshaped to meet the growing demand for low-sodium alternatives.

But here’s the problem: the science was never that clear-cut.

Modern Research Paints a Different Picture

Today, a growing body of evidence is showing that salt is not the universal culprit it was made out to be. Yes, some people are “salt-sensitive” — meaning excessive sodium can raise their blood pressure. But this represents a minority, not the majority. For most healthy individuals, moderate salt intake does not significantly raise blood pressure or cause heart disease.

A major global study published in The Lancet in 2018, which followed over 95,000 people in 21 countries, found that moderate sodium intake (3–5 grams per day) was associated with the lowest risk of heart attack and stroke, while both low and very high intakes increased health risks (Mente et al., 2018).

Similarly, a review in The American Journal of Hypertension concluded that very low sodium diets may actually increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality, highlighting the dangers of overly restrictive guidelines (Graudal et al., 2014).

The relationship between salt and health is not linear — it’s a U-shaped curve. This means that balance is key, not restriction.

The Importance of Mineral Balance

Another crucial detail is often ignored in mainstream salt discussions: not all salts are created equal. Refined table salt is stripped of nearly everything except sodium chloride, and then fortified with iodine. Natural salts — like unrefined sea salt or Himalayan salt — contain a spectrum of trace minerals that support hydration, nerve function, and overall cellular health.

The body relies on sodium as a critical electrolyte, but it functions in tandem with potassium, magnesium, and calcium. Imbalances, often caused by highly processed diets lacking in mineral diversity, are far more damaging than salt itself.

Why the Narrative Stuck

The demonisation of salt fits a pattern we’ve seen often in nutrition science: isolating a single nutrient, blaming it for complex health conditions, and oversimplifying dietary recommendations for the masses. Fat went through this same cycle, and more recently, cholesterol. In hindsight, the salt scare was largely fuelled by reductionist science, industry interests, and public health oversimplification.

Reclaiming Salt as Essential

It’s time to reframe salt for what it is: a vital nutrient, not an enemy.

• It supports proper hydration and fluid balance.

• It’s essential for nerve signalling and muscle contraction.

• It aids digestion by helping the stomach produce hydrochloric acid.

• And in its unrefined forms, it delivers a spectrum of trace minerals our bodies crave.

Rather than fearing salt, the focus should be on:

• Choosing high-quality, mineral-rich salts.

• Balancing sodium with potassium-rich foods (like fresh fruits and vegetables).

• Avoiding the extremes of excessive processed foods or overly restrictive low-salt diets.

Final Thoughts

The past 50 years of salt demonisation remind us to be cautious of sweeping nutrition claims. Modern science is showing us that salt — in balance and in its natural forms — is not the heart disease villain we were told it was. Instead, it is an essential part of human health and longevity.

The lesson is clear: we must continue to question old dogmas, look at the quality of our food rather than just the quantity of single nutrients, and embrace balance over extremes.

References

• Mente, A., O’Donnell, M., Rangarajan, S., et al. (2018). Associations of urinary sodium excretion with cardiovascular events in individuals with and without hypertension: a pooled analysis of data from four studies. The Lancet, 392(10146), 496–506.

• Graudal, N., Jürgens, G., Baslund, B., Alderman, M.H. (2014). Compared with usual sodium intake, low- and excessive-sodium diets are associated with increased mortality: a meta-analysis. American Journal of Hypertension, 27(9), 1129–1137.