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Salt, We Misjudged You (Opinion) June 2, 2012 by By GARY TAUBES in NYTs

Esther12

Senior Member
Messages
13,774
I've read a few pieces on Taubes's diet work. To me it seems that he raises a lot of good points about how little we know about what is truly a healthy diet, and how flimsy the evidence is for a lot of recommendations that are being made to the public.

I've seen him be criticised for being too willing to promote alternative opinions on diet, but from what I've seen he normally does so with caveats, and explaining that research is needed in these areas to gain more understanding as to what is going on, but that he thinks research funding would be better spent testing alternative hypotheses than spending more and more examining assumptions which have been well researched and yet still have little evidence to support their claims.

I expect that a lot of diet stuff depends person to person. I try to eat a reasonable amount of fruit and veg, avoid too much sugar, will often choose olive oil over butter and try not to eat too much of any one thing (glutton, dairy). Other than that I just eat what I enjoy (within budgetary limitations).
 

*GG*

senior member
Messages
6,389
Location
Concord, NH
Yes, your comments made me think of the obesity "epidemic" in the USA. Seems like since things have gone low-fat, the problem has only gotten worse. I know carbs do not "hold me over" and I am hungry sooner, rather than later.

GG

PS Just simplifying here, probably due to more sugar etc..
 

Esther12

Senior Member
Messages
13,774
Apparently a lot of processed food manufacturers did increase levels of sugar in order to reduce levels of fat and slat. I've no idea if this would be much less healthy for people, but it does make the 'low fat' options seem less worthwhile.

I'm someone who seems to stay relentlessly skinny no matter what I eat (although I am now starting to approach middle age... this may change), so have never needed to put much thought in to that aspect of my diet... it would be nice to be able to get away with eating less!
 

liquid sky

Senior Member
Messages
371
Interesting article. The study they mention says that salt intake in 30 countries over the last 50 years has stayed stable at 1.5 teaspoons/day. This is 50% more than is recommended by health experts in the US. If people eat about the same amount of salt normally, it would tend to make me think this is the normal physiological amount needed by the body.

As someone who developed hypertension although being slim and no change in salt intake, I tend to think the link is rather weak. I also eat mostly food prepared at home from scratch, so not too much salt involved.

It's amazing how certain we are of many things that have really little proof. Thanks for posting the article.