Yes, pass the salt!
Repeat after me:
Salt is not your enemy.
We’ve all heard it: Don’t eat too much salt, it’ll lead to heart disease!
Just look at all the studies, right? Yes, high-sodium diets can lead to chronic high blood pressure, but what you might have missed in the fine print is that many of those studies use your run-of-the-mill table salt. That version is highly processed and contains anti-caking agents (so it doesn’t get lumpy) and is usually what’s used in fast foods.
What if we used salt derived from natural sources such as Himalayan pink salt or quality sea salts? The story becomes much different. This study found that individuals who consumed up to 5g (more than twice the recommended limits set by the American Heart Association) of naturally derived salt per day as a part of a healthy diet showed decreased risks of heart disease and strokes. Please note, the consumption was part of a diet rich in whole foods, fruits, vegetables, and dairy.
Furthermore, this study found a link between quality salt intake and lower levels of cortisol, the stress hormone that can lead to weight gain, trouble sleeping, heart disease, and anxiety/depression if it’s constantly in your system.
Plus, if you’re reading this, you probably enjoy high-intensity training on a regular basis. Which means you sweat a lot. Sweating leads to a loss of electrolytes and sodium, and if you don’t have enough to begin with, it will negatively affect your performance. Electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium are what allows your brain to tell your muscles to contract. If you don’t have the right balance of them, your body can’t reach its full potential. So while that pre-workout banana was good, if you don’t have enough sodium to go with it, it’s not doing all it could to help.
How can I get quality salt in my diet?
As stated above, look for Himalayan pink salt or unrefined sea salts. You can add half a teaspoon to a glass of water you drink in the morning. Add some lemon juice for flavor. You can also drink your own or buy bone broth, but make sure the bones are from grass-fed cows! And lastly, don’t be afraid to add dashes of salt to your food throughout the day.
Skip the “sports drinks,” though. While they do contain electrolytes, they often are flavored with artificial sweeteners with other chemical additives that don’t fit into a clean diet.
Coconut water also is a great recovery drink as it contains potassium, sodium and manganese in addition to some sodium. But some versions can have higher levels of sugars than you might want, so check the nutritional facts.