Salt, We Misjudged You • Hacker News Board

Re: Salt, We Misjudged You

#11

Post by rubashov » Tue, Jun 05, 2012, 7:16 PM UTC

jswinghammer wrote: post #7

As someone who has lost around 40 pounds of fat switching to the high fat paleo diet I'm not at all surprised that the current state of the conventional wisdom on food is wrong in any number of ways. It is funny that we really have no idea what we should be eating naturally at all. Grains were making me sick and I didn't notice for years. It wasn't until I read a book listing side effects of grain consumption that I…

Well Loren Cordain, godfather of "paleo", remains convinced that salt is bad. He claims the chloride does some bad stuff (I forget) and also the sodium screws up potassium and magnesium levels somehow.

Re: Salt, We Misjudged You

#12

Post by 3pt14159 » Tue, Jun 05, 2012, 7:16 PM UTC

Sort of an aside here, but salt and MSG should be used to increase the tastiness of otherwise bland foods, like asparagus, so that what you eat is more in line with what your body needs, rather than what is the most tasty in our post-industrial world. That is how I use salt: reduce starches and refined grains, and increase vegetables, lentils, and the like. Sure I still have some bread and a normal amount of meat (at least by Canadian standards), but I prefer to make healthy foods delicious.

Re: Salt, We Misjudged You

#13

Post by Panoramix » Tue, Jun 05, 2012, 7:18 PM UTC

jswinghammer wrote: post #7

As someone who has lost around 40 pounds of fat switching to the high fat paleo diet I'm not at all surprised that the current state of the conventional wisdom on food is wrong in any number of ways. It is funny that we really have no idea what we should be eating naturally at all. Grains were making me sick and I didn't notice for years. It wasn't until I read a book listing side effects of grain consumption that I…

Which book was it?

Re: Salt, We Misjudged You

#14

Post by abtinf » Tue, Jun 05, 2012, 7:20 PM UTC

singingwolfboy wrote: post #2

Everything in moderation.

Everything in moderation. Extreme moderation.

Re: Salt, We Misjudged You

#15

Post by wusher » Tue, Jun 05, 2012, 7:24 PM UTC

Panoramix wrote: post #13

jswinghammer wrote: post #7

As someone who has lost around 40 pounds of fat switching to the high fat paleo diet I'm not at all surprised that the current state of the conventional wisdom on food is wrong in any number of ways. It is funny that we really have no idea what we should be eating naturally at all. Grains were making me sick and I didn't notice for years. It wasn't until I read a book listing side effects of grain consumption that I…

Which book was it?

Most likely The Paleo Solution. That's the one that turned my diet around.

Re: Salt, We Misjudged You

#16

Post by frankc » Tue, Jun 05, 2012, 7:29 PM UTC

mkoivuni wrote: post #8

jswinghammer wrote: post #7

As someone who has lost around 40 pounds of fat switching to the high fat paleo diet I'm not at all surprised that the current state of the conventional wisdom on food is wrong in any number of ways. It is funny that we really have no idea what we should be eating naturally at all. Grains were making me sick and I didn't notice for years. It wasn't until I read a book listing side effects of grain consumption that I…

Agreed, nutritional "science" and conventional wisdom has become a joke.

It should be noted that the author of the linked article is Gary Taubes, who is best known for Good Calories, Bad Calories, a book that seeks to turn the conventional wisdom of nutrition on its head.

Re: Salt, We Misjudged You

#17

Post by alecdibble » Tue, Jun 05, 2012, 7:31 PM UTC

I have always wondered why so many facets of "institutional health" are promoted as the status quo even with much contradictory evidence or lack of "common sense".

A couple of things that come to mind: salt saturated fats sugars

I know many instances of this problem have to do with monetary interests. But salt? Who gains from low salt intake? Reputation? Or is it something else.

Re: Salt, We Misjudged You

#18

Post by riffraff » Tue, Jun 05, 2012, 7:32 PM UTC

3pt14159 wrote: post #12

Sort of an aside here, but salt and MSG should be used to increase the tastiness of otherwise bland foods, like asparagus, so that what you eat is more in line with what your body needs, rather than what is the most tasty in our post-industrial world. That is how I use salt: reduce starches and refined grains, and increase vegetables, lentils, and the like. Sure I still have some bread and a normal amount of meat (at…

just FYI, in the pre-industrial world of my home town you can still go picking up wild asparagus[1] which are _far_ from bland, I have no idea if those exist in any form where you live but I strongly advice you to try them out if you can.

[1] stuff like this http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__88ZCQ5jRIs/Sju4DrHvsZI/AAAAAAAAg1...

Re: Salt, We Misjudged You

#19

Post by juliano_q » Tue, Jun 05, 2012, 7:36 PM UTC

wusher wrote: post #15

Panoramix wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Which book was it?

Most likely The Paleo Solution. That's the one that turned my diet around.

The Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson is also great and changed my life. Reading 'Good Calories Bad Calories' now from Gary Taubes (the author of the op) and it is awesome too.

Re: Salt, We Misjudged You

#20

Post by Cushman » Tue, Jun 05, 2012, 7:36 PM UTC

All right! Next up: MSG.

Even those of my friends who know that the health concerns are bogus have a weird paranoia of MSG. I think it's a general suspicion of any chemical which makes food taste better (which somehow doesn't apply to salt and sugar).