Penzeys throws down the salt gauntlet

[Chris Amirault]

I guess companies called Saltworks and Salt Traders can't get up on a soapbox and decry NaCl.

[NadyaDuke]

I view the Penzeys folks as true believers and a little quirky, kind of like those fine eccentrics at Dr. Bronner's soap. Witness the Arizona Dreamin blend they came out with after Arizona passed its immigration law. I assumed it was their comment, though I had to read between the lines to guess what point they were trying to make.

[heidih]

They are certainly entitled to their opinion as stated several times up topic. I, however, choose to disregard it as a misguided marketing strategy. To the extent that I can drive 10 minutes and pick up some great spices from them (yes- I am blessed) I will get the spices I like. I am savvy enough not to buy into any marketing scheme they may have with no salt added stuff. I can read Basically taking the wheat and leaving the chaff as with most places.

[xxchef]

According to a new study, low salt intake does not prevent hypertension and raises heart attack and stroke risk.

"Researchers from the University of Leuven, Belgium, measured urinary salt (sodium) levels in 3,681 individuals over an eight-year period. Of the total, 1,499 completed every scheduled urine test. When the study began, none of them had any cardiovascular disease. 2,096 had normal blood pressure levels at the start of the study.

They found that those with lower salt intake over the eight year period had a higher risk of heart attack and stroke, compared to those with a high salt intake - completely the opposite to what we are told."

So I suppose Penzeys will now be putting out a special "salt only" supplement to their catalog touting the health benefits of all things salty. I mean, if you're going to be politically correct, you've gotta be equal-opportunity PC by definition, right?

[EatNopales]

According to a new study, low salt intake does not prevent hypertension and raises heart attack and stroke risk.

"Researchers from the University of Leuven, Belgium, measured urinary salt (sodium) levels in 3,681 individuals over an eight-year period. Of the total, 1,499 completed every scheduled urine test. When the study began, none of them had any cardiovascular disease. 2,096 had normal blood pressure levels at the start of the study.

They found that those with lower salt intake over the eight year period had a higher risk of heart attack and stroke, compared to those with a high salt intake - completely the opposite to what we are told."

So I suppose Penzeys will now be putting out a special "salt only" supplement to their catalog touting the health benefits of all things salty. I mean, if you're going to be politically correct, you've gotta be equal-opportunity PC by definition, right?

My wife has a graduate degree in Nutritional Sciences, and we've discussed salt intake ad nauseum here is my distillation of her points:

1) Be careful with scientific research... there are very fundamental flaws in the scope & methodology of research as it pertains to human health & nutrition... most of the research is disproven within a generation & just gets people in tizzy.

2) Without salt, or on a very salt restricted diet you would die... wouldn't take that long.

3) Many Northern Eurasian cultures from Iceland to Siberia & the Irkutsk consume very high sodium diets originating in traditional food preservation, and are genetically atuned to higher not lower salt diets.. these people are more likely to develop diseases related to hypo tension than hyper tension.. and these are serious conditions.

4) Sodium & Potassium are the Ying & Yang of regulating the water balance between cells & the bloodstream... hypertension is water levels too high in the bloodstream... hypotension is water levels too high in the cells... neither is good.... Sodium helps retain water in the bloodstream, Potassium helps draw water in to the cells.

She points out that scientists tend to approach the whole salt consumption thing bass ackwards.. instead of focusing on the fact that people dramatically reduce potassium as they adopt a Western diet as the cause for hypotension... they prescribe salt reduction instead of potassium increase as a therapy... and it is completely stupid & classic Blind Men & Elephant syndrome.

Dietary prescriptions should be really simple... human beings evolved to eat lots fruits, vegetables, legumes, seeds & nuts... in the Western world we have replaced those with Meat, Dairy & Refined Grains, Fats & Sugar and are becoming unhealthy because of it... just eat more fruits, vegetables, legumes, seeds & nuts.. you don't even have to worry about cutting anything.. those things will naturally cut out some of the other foods... eat till you are satisfied but not full, keep a healthy weight and almost everything else will follow.