Food For Life – Salt and Hypertension

Let us take a look at the subject matter for this month’s article—preservatives. You may like this, or you may not but: the “proof is in the pudding!” And what I read is not necessarily what I like to read; but it is a viable fact that man cannot live by “bread alone,” but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord. With this in mind, let us look at various articles printed on this subject. First of all let me talk to you about salt! Is it bad or is it essential? “Food should be prepared in as simple a manner as possible, free from condiments and spices, and even from an undue amount of salt.” “I use some salt, and always have, because from the light given me by God, this article, in place of being deleterious, is actually essential for the blood. The whys and wherefores of this I know not, but I give you the instruction as it is given me.” “Good baked or boiled potatoes served with cream and a sprinkling of salt are the most healthful. The remnants of Irish and sweet potatoes are prepared with a little cream and salt and re-baked, and not fried; they are excellent.” Counsels on Diets and Foods, 340, 344, 323. [All emphasis supplied.]

Today, the use of an excess amount of that delicious flavoring is well known to increase the risk of high blood pressure. The incidence of high blood pressure in populations using large amounts of sodium is well documented. The amount of salt needed every day can be as low as between 200 and 300 milligrams for a sedentary person up to well in excess of 2 grams for a laborer in extremely heated conditions (such as roofing in the summer or hard physical labor in tropical conditions or in a boiler room etc.) Since most Americans consume between 6 and 13 grams of salt per day obtaining adequate amounts is seldom a problem.

A person who is using large amounts of preprocessed foods can obtain large amounts of sodium without knowing it (over 20 grams per day). One of the easiest ways to decrease sodium is to decrease the foods eaten which have large amounts of salt added. Most health reformers have discarded most of these foods already for other reasons. They include all foods which contain monosodium glutamate, baking soda or baking powder, foods that are cured, smoked, pickled, salted or prepared in salty brines such as sauerkraut, pickles, soy sauce (and many other sauces), all regular chips such as potato chips, corn chips, popcorn, salted crackers, and salted nuts. The next step is moderate use of salt in cooking and especially at the table. Most experts recommend that the sedentary person not consume more than about 1 teaspoon of salt per day (or between 2 and 3 grams) which is an easy range to be in if you are using natural foods (not highly processed) and are moderate in the use of salt in cooking and on the table.

The National Academy of Sciences and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have advised everyone to cut down on salt to prevent high blood pressure. Although many people are getting too much salt that does not mean that less is always better—in the summer especially when people are spending alot of time out of doors many people do not get enough of it. While experts agree that many of the nation’s fifty million or so hypertensives should decrease their salt intake, ‘there is not conclusive scientific evidence that the general population should adopt a low-sodium diet.

Salt—sodium chloride—is an essential ingredient of the blood. Sodium is necessary to maintain proper blood volume and controls the water-balance in body cells. It is required for transmission of nerve impulses and the proper utilization of carbohydrates and proteins. Chloride is needed for proper pH and for production of hydrochloric acid by the stomach and for certain enzymes.

People who are afraid of getting too much salt and are getting strenuous activity in warm or hot conditions may actually need more of it than they normally obtain.

Corn Spread

1 cup Millet Flour

2½ cups soft Water

1 Tsp. Sea Salt

Place these ingredients in your small mini-crock pot. Stir well, and let cook overnight.
Cook 1 – 16 oz. pkg. of frozen corn according to pkg. directions and when finished place in blender, whiz on high until very smooth. Drop by spoonfuls the millet flour mixture which has cooked.

Add Seasonings:

2 tsps. Butter flavoring

1 tsp. Coconut flavoring

½ tsp. Sea Salt

½ cup Cashews

Whiz again to mix properly. If you wish a thicker butter, drain the cooking water off the corn.

The End