Is salt actually bad for you? Why do some people like salt way more than others do? (PODCAST E27)

Salt, it's been used for cooking meals and added more taste to food. But why do people really love using a lot of salt? Are they putting their health at risk? Adam answers all of these questions and more on this episode of The Adam Ragusea Podcast.

#podcast #askadam #foodie #foodpodcast #cookingpodcast #q&a

[sofiahagia]

My father is sickly obsessed with eating no salt. He said it was poison to the body. This means: no seasoning of home cooked meals. When I was jogging 15 km per week during high school, craving salty crisps all the time really was no mystery... I felt dizzy and tired all the time, until I moved out.

[Alex-fwur]

When I was little I’d always be seeking salt, adding a lott of additional salt to everything, even eating it off of my hand. My family members would watch in horror and say I’m going to dry up my veins or have a heart attack.
Became an adult, got pregnant and decided to totally change my diet to a healthier one. Started passing out. Come to find out I have ridiculously low blood pressure & POTS. Cardiologist has me specifically on increased salt intake now 😅 keeps me at (a low) but closer to average blood pressure, and off blood pressure meds.

Sometimes, just sometimes, it could be your body telling you you need something.

💟 I enjoyed this video

[thelmadavid]

Hi Adam, l am a 72 year old woman that is still learning so much from all the information you give and research you do for people. And I must say I am so impressed and grateful for all of the important data of every day life, that you give along with your awesome recipes that can still learn from even at my age. A huge Thanks, to you for it, you're an awesome guy with a brilliant mind. Lots of luck. God bless you.

[redsable]

Though not a smoker myself, several family and friends have been and they have always marvelled at how much they can taste the salt once they have quit.

[oblivionsought]

For a calf cramp: Hyperextend the leg and pull the toes towards the shin as much as possible. (bystanders can help with this) - the cramping will subside in seconds. I learned this from scuba where you do this by grabbing the tip of your fin. I get these mid-sleep if I don't drink enough water. Often enough that I have learned to kick my leg straight super fast to cancel it as it comes on.

[DoseofZest]

I really appreciate the little breaks that Adam gives between points. Even just that one second does wonders to finish absorbing everything and get ready to move on.

[kingtimot]

Adam reads negative comments with Pedants saying, "um, actually..." Becomes negatively charged. Name is Adam. Adam is now negatively charged. We must now call him Ion.

[purplealice]

My father loved to put lots of salt on his food, and so do I. And I'm not just imitating my father's example. I'm not salt-sensitive; I've been treated for high blood pressure and heart disease, but my blood pressure doesn't change when i eat something salty. And when I realized my family and I needed iodized salt, I found a company that "iodizes" its salt by blending it with flakes of locally harvested seaweed. I discovered that the seaweed-added salt adds a *HUGE* amount of umami to my food. And seaweed contains all sorts of other minerals and nutrients besides iodide, meaning it's good for me. (I like Japanese seaweed salad also.)
My cardiologist didn't believe my BP stayed stable when I ate a very salty food, even though he tested me carefully. But apparently I don't have *sodium sensitive* hypertension. Alas, my gall bladder removal makes it unwise for me to eat a whole mess of bacon, or a lot of heavily buttered popcorn sprinkled with seaweed-salt.

[PIXXOD]

Adam should have said "I'm not a medical Dr, so take this with a pinch of salt"...😊🤔🤔

[EricSanDiego]

I think I've figured out why Adam is so good at this. He LOVES this stuff. Scientific research is his freaking HOBBY. Adam, you are my favorite Mega-Geek. I'm a geek too, but I'm not worthy.

[hardrout]

Salt as always been a "controversial" topic between my tastebuds and scientist community. Your input and the depth of expertise you provide is amazing. This condensed knowledge in an affordable package (1h podcast) is very appreciable. Thank you. (As an healthy 30yo eating 95% food that i cook from raw vegetable/raw meat and pasta/rice/potatoes, im fine to salt to taste :D)

[italianasc]

As a person with a Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Technology with a Minor in Chemistry, I love every bit of this pod!! The atomic/molecular/quantum explanation was super relevant and interesting to me; I hope the question-asker held on for this portion. I SUPER HOPE she held on for the stomach cancer portion. Had a family member succumb to stomach cancer - it is as horrible as you can (and probably should) imagine. That was ultimately the most important takeaway for her and most everyone else. Let's hope she took it away.

[alaskansummertime]

I almost died from heart and kidney failure due largely to high blood pressure. My doctors told me to avoid salt but after seven years of monitoring my blood pressure I haven't found it makes any difference. I had my BP taken a few months ago by a professional and she said it was perfect. I do largely avoid heavily processed food though. It was actually this channel that turned me on to only using salt as a final topping and not in the food itself.

[PatataMaxtex]

I just finished the episode on Spotify, but felt the urge to come here, give you an upvote and a comment the expresses my sincerest gratitude, that you do this quality content for me and all the other lucky people on the Internet.

[sonder]

I love how you'll say "I'm just a monkey with a microphone" then proceed drop an hour of well researched educational podcast material that would give most teachers a run for their money! Seriously, I feel like I'm getting more out of listening to your videos than I would've gotten from sitting in a classroom, which if I was American would have costed me an outrageous amount of money.

Of course, I understand that you say it to encourage people to do their own research, look into primary sources rather than what you're saying, because there's a non-zero chance you'll misunderstand or misrepresent something. But I seriously mean it when I say I could listen to you ramble on for hours and hours about nutritional research. You're educational and entertaining!

[PlayingwithD]

I grew up in a fishing village on the east coast. Salt was in the air as well as the water. If I eat anything without salt in it, it will taste bland to me. I am a certified "saltoholic." Not that I go crazy and add salt to the point that others can't tolerate it. But I feel environment plays a role in preference too.

[veloxian]

HUGE missed opportunity at 4:48 to say "take that with a grain of salt"

[jacoballey]

i never liked broccoli or asparagus until i actually had some that were well-seasoned (salt) and cooked properly. so, in that instance salt can make you eat more healthily. just stay away from the vending machine

[danielsanichiban]

I grew up adding table salt to everything before I ate it, and then quit doing that in my late teens. Everything tasted so bland and flavourless for a few months but then it was all back to normal, except that when I eat at restaurants the food usually tastes really salty to me.

[lekiscool]

I have low blood pressure and hypothyroidism.
On hot days I loose feeling in my fingers because I sweat out the salt.
Which can only be fixed if I lick some salt.