To paraphrase Alton Brown, there is only one thing in the world that tastes like salt -- salt. Your tongue can taste four things (the Japanese say 5 but that's another story): sweet, salty, bitter and sour. Your tongue helps you seek out salty foods because salt is crucial to survival.
Now comes analysis that seems to prove that salt has no significant effect on the blood pressure of most people:
Dr. Niels A. Graudal at Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen, Denmark, and colleagues analyzed 83 studies published in the past, including people who had been randomly assigned to eat either a high-sodium or low-sodium diet.
The researchers found that in people with high blood pressure, lowering sodium intake reduced systolic blood pressure (the first number in a blood pressure reading) by 3.9 mm Hg, and diastolic pressure (the second number) by 1.9 mm Hg. High blood pressure (generally considered to be pressure over 140/90 mm Hg) increases the risk of stroke and heart attack. However, in those with normal blood pressure cutting salt intake reduced blood pressure by only 1.2 mm Hg systolic and 0.26 mm Hg diastolic In other words a person with blood pressure of 135 over 85 would, on average, see blood pressure of 134 over 85 if they restricted their salt intake!
Further:
Alderman believes that the study findings are of interest to researchers, but what most people "...want to know is not the effect on blood pressure, but does (salt restriction) make you live longer or better. There is no evidence to support the view that a low sodium diet increases the length of your life or improves its quality," he added. http://www.nutritionfarm.com/health_news/1998/salt_diet.htmPretzels anyone?
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