What is the healthiest diet you could possibly eat? (as a general consensus)

Cordain wrote:

Isn't he merely saying that modern food has so much added salt that you don't neet to get any more? I mean, all packaged food has salt. It is hard to escape it.

I never eat packaged food, or anything else that has salt added to it.

It isn't that difficult. Food does not naturally contain salt. As you have said, most modern food has salt, because the salt has been added. It is not there naturally. I never eat salt.

aswellthat wrote:

Has anyone ever tried corn grits/polenta without salt?

Yes, and Ugali.

I eat oats with chopped dates and water. No salt! Why would anyone put salt in their food????? It is a learned habit based on marketing and food preparation, nothing else.

J.R. wrote:

Cordain wrote:

Isn't he merely saying that modern food has so much added salt that you don't neet to get any more? I mean, all packaged food has salt. It is hard to escape it.

I never eat packaged food, or anything else that has salt added to it.

It isn't that difficult. Food does not naturally contain salt. As you have said, most modern food has salt, because the salt has been added. It is not there naturally. I never eat salt.

Food does not naturally have salt? Do you not eat meat or fish?

J.R. wrote:

Why would anyone put salt in their food?????

You are not serious?

I'm not saying they are healthy, but you've never eaten potato chips, pretzels, corn chips, and other salty snacks?You never cook foods and add salt?I can understand not adding salt, and avoiding packaged foods and junk foods, but it doesn't seem possible to completely avoid all forms of salt in your diet.

J.R. wrote:

I never eat packaged food, or anything else that has salt added to it.

It isn't that difficult. Food does not naturally contain salt. As you have said, most modern food has salt, because the salt has been added. It is not there naturally. I never eat salt.

J.R. wrote:

Food does not naturally contain salt.

Many foods naturally contain sodium. You are really over your head here, and the more you post, the less intelligent you appear to be...

I think the point that J.R. is trying to make, and that people keep missing, is that salt = NaCl as a compound. Sure, foods will contain sodium (Na) and chloride (Cl) for that matter. But they'll exist as ions, not as the compound NaCl. Of course, you probably could argue that any salt that is added to food will probably dissociate into its Na+, Cl- ions before you actually consume it...

Cliff Clavin wrote:

J.R. wrote:

Food does not naturally contain salt.

Many foods naturally contain sodium. You are really over your head here, and the more you post, the less intelligent you appear to be...

As I understand the theory, heme iron is damaging because it is readily absorbed (versus non-heme iron, which must be oxidized from Fe2+ to Fe3+, which the body is not efficient at, before it can be absorbed by the body). This increases the iron in the body, where it acts as a pro-oxidant, creating havoc in your vessels and tissues and driving the development of cancer and heart disease. Evidence that this may be true includes the observation that people with haemochromatosis (iron overload) develop vascular diseases, and a third of the untreated actually end up with liver cancer. Routine phlebotomies (taking blood) is the standard treatment for such a condition. Additionally, some reports support the idea that frequent blood donors have a decreased rate of heart disease, although some reports suggest this is not the case (the discrepancy may be related to whether iron is reduced enough in some of the studies). Finally, premenopausal women have a decreased risk of heart disease. The second women hit menopause, their risk for heart disease matches men of the same age. There's a lot more evidence, I'm sure, although I've only learned of this theory in the last year so I haven't had a chance to really look at it in depth.

I've heard other theories about how red meat may be increasing our risk for cancer and heart disease. One of the more interesting one's came from a Nobel laureate. Harald zur Hausen, the 2008 winner in medicine or physiology, gave a talk and suggested that, like in cervical cancer, a virus may actually be the ultimate culprit behind red meat's correlation with increased cancer/heart disease risk. He suggested that if we'd cook the meat more thoroughly (instead of eating it rare to medium), we actually may be protected against its harmful effects. I'm not sure if I buy into this theory, but its interesting, non-the-less.

kjrunner70@hotmail.com wrote:

I think the point that J.R. is trying to make, and that people keep missing, is that salt = NaCl as a compound.

No, I understand it perfectly well. Sodium is required for health. Salt is not. That being said, athletes in particular are going to have a hard time getting their sodium requirements from tomatoes and celery and other high sodium foods. Ergo, salt consumption. I have a hard time believing the elite East Africans are abstaining for this reason. Besides, any sane person will tell you savory dishes (not dates and oats, that is a sweet dish) taste much better with salt. It is an excellent delivery vehicle for sodium and, if you get the real thing, a host of other valuable trace minerals.

J.R. has not proven he has any credibility in his claim that the said population does abstain and he has further been unable to provide a reason why they would even want to abstain. Whenever he is questioned he gives some flippant remark in his typically petulant way ("think for yourself!"). There is thus far no substance behind his posts and he has, resultantly, given us no reason to believe he is anything other than a liar or a fool.

Here is a book for further study:

I'd agree with you that he hasn't given any evidence that said population abstains from salt, nor has he cited any reference showing that salt is unhealthy for you.

A sincere question for you: Do you know of any evidence that suggests that athlete's have a need for increased sodium intake?

*athletes, not athlete's

kjrunner70 wrote:

A sincere question for you: Do you know of any evidence that suggests that athlete's have a need for increased sodium intake?

The body loses sodium through perspiration and this, when combined with general fluid loss, leads to reduced blood volume, cramps, etc. It is important to replenish electrolytes (of which sodium is one) and not just water after a strong effort in order to maintain the requisite osmolarity.

We all have different sweat rates and it could be possible that some athletes have no need from greater sodium consumption than the average person (I am referring to the average person’s requirements, not the average person’s consumption which is typically far more than their requirements).

You are probably aware that long-distance endurance athletes often use salt tablets? It is all about balance.

rekrunner wrote:

I'm not saying they are healthy, but you've never eaten potato chips, pretzels, corn chips, and other salty snacks?

You never cook foods and add salt?

Right.

I can understand not adding salt, and avoiding packaged foods and junk foods, but it doesn't seem possible to completely avoid all forms of salt in your diet.

It is completely possible. Many people don't add any salt to their food. I've never added any salt to food.

J.R. wrote:

Food does not naturally contain salt.

Cliff Clavin wrote:

Many foods naturally contain sodium. You are really over your head here, and the more you post, the less intelligent you appear to be...

Bananas contain magnesium. Keep digging.

J.R. wrote:

J.R. wrote:

Food does not naturally contain salt.

Cliff Clavin wrote:

Many foods naturally contain sodium. You are really over your head here, and the more you post, the less intelligent you appear to be...

Bananas contain magnesium. Keep digging.

You really are an imbecile. You have no capacity to reason logically. Yes, bananas contain magnesium, which has NOTHING to do with the fact that MANY FOODS NATURALLY CONTAIN SODIUM. You are a perfect illustration of how the masses are so stupid...

J.R. wrote:

J.R. wrote:

Food does not naturally contain salt.

Cliff Clavin wrote:

Many foods naturally contain sodium. You are really over your head here, and the more you post, the less intelligent you appear to be...

Bananas contain magnesium. Keep digging.

Bananas also contain sodium, although not much...

Have been following this for a while. Keeps you lean with great energy and all natural foods. Was designed fro MMA fighters. But I think it translated quite well to distance running.

http://thedolcedietlivinglean.com/

The 7 banana a day diet cannot be beat.