For years, salt was considered an enemy of health, to be drastically reduced in the daily diet. Today, new scientific evidence calls for a rethinking of this view: It is not salt itself that represents a risk, but the imbalance in its consumptionThis is the central message of the new White Paper sponsored and drafted by a pool of researchers from theUniversità Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, at the invitation of Italian Company Sali and Atisale which proposes a "rehabilitation" of salt based on updated data and a more balanced approach to nutrition.
One of the most significant findings concerns the relationship between sodium intake and health outcomes. Recent epidemiological studies have drawn a U-shaped curve: mortality increases if you eat too much salt (over 5-6g of sodium), but it also increases dramatically if you consume too little (under 3g). The human body is not an electric machine: without sodium, impulses fail, fluids are not regulated, and life stops. The concepts of "excess" and "deficiency" therefore become central, as they shift the discussion from salt itself to balance, that is, an appropriate salt intake. Furthermore, the very concept of balance is not necessarily tied to absolute values, since living organisms are characterized by dynamic equilibria, closely linked to individual lifestyles and eating habits.
The risks of shortages: an underestimated problem
- Cognitive decline in older adultsThousands of elderly people arrive in the emergency room with unexplained falls or confusion that seem to be the onset of dementia. The cause is often hyponatremia (low blood sodium), caused by overly strict low-sodium diets. The brain, deprived of its "controller," goes haywire. Restoring the right amount of salt to these people often means seeing them experience cognitive "rebirth" and regain their balance.
- Heart complications. For years, salt has been withheld from heart failure patients. Now, meta-analyses in journals like JACC reveal a disturbing paradox: aggressive restriction can increase mortality. Without sodium, blood volume drops too low, and the body reacts by producing stress hormones that strain an already weak heart.
- Metabolic alterationsSalt helps transport glucose into cells. If we eliminate it, the body becomes less sensitive to insulin (insulin resistance), opening the door to metabolic dysfunction and pre-diabetes.
The White Paper also emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between different types of salt. Whole sea salt, for example, is a complex matrix containing trace elements such as magnesium, potassium, and calcium, which can influence taste and how it interacts with the body. This can encourage more moderate and informed consumption, compared to the refined salt often found in ultra-processed products.
Given the results of this study, which highlight a U-shaped relationship between sodium intake and health outcomes, reinforcing the need to avoid both chronic excess and prolonged severe restriction, a renewed approach is needed not only to public health strategies but also to nutritional communication that effectively reaches the broader population. The historical demonization of salt can and must be reframed, emphasizing balance rather than condemnation. Educating people about informed, balanced, and therefore responsible consumption is a broader socio-cultural challenge, and salt can rightly be considered a paradigm for this. concluded the prof Marta Bertolaso, Research Unit of Philosophy of Science and Human Development UCBM.
If excess remains a mistake, indiscriminate fear is an equal and opposite error. The new White Paper proposes a shift in public health and communication strategies, moving from a generalized reduction in sodium to an approach based on moderation, personalization, and contextualization of intake, taking into account lifestyle, physical activity level, and individual physiological needs, evaluating it within overall dietary patterns, rather than as an isolated nutrient: "Today we are here to talk about salt... a millenary raw material, a fundamental ingredient in Mediterranean culture and cuisine and yet, for decades, the object of demonization by public opinion, never based on structured scientific studies, which has generated a distorted perception at all social levels. This is why we decided to consult a group of professors and researchers from theUniversità Campus Bio-Medico di Roma in order to conduct a targeted study resulting in the drafting of a White Paper on the topic, namely the importance of a correct and balanced salt intake for human health" has explained Andrea Pedrazzini, Director of Marketing and Communications for Italy, Cis and Atisale.
It's time to stop demonizing this millennia-old crystal as a public enemy and start treating it for what it is: a precious resource, to be managed with intelligence, culture, and, why not, a pinch of taste.
