Quality of Mediterranean Diet trumps its high salt content
Journalists swarmed Salt Institute technical director Mort Satin after his presentation this week at the Salt Expo staged in Naples, Italy. This first-ever Expo May 3-6 attracted salt manufacturers from Europe, India, and China and other gastronomic suppliers that use salt as an important contribution to the character of their products.
Satin's lecture on salt and health led off a series of presentations on various aspects of salt. Mort provided a comprehensive review of the current "myth information " linking salt to cardiovascular disease explaining how it was incorrect to isolate salt from the rest of the diet and then attribute risk factors to it, He recounted the scientific evidence that repeatedly demonstrated that it was not a risk when part of the balanced diet. His explanation that people consuming the Mediterranean Diet in southern Europe consume 15-20 % more salt than their northern European neighbors, but have half the heart disease and increased longevity because they have a better diet, including much higher levels of fruit and vegetable consumption, attracted significant post-presentation media attention, particularly media from Asia and the Middle East.
The remaining speakers focused on the positive role of salt iodization in reducing iodine deficiency diseases.
A second Salt Expo is planned in San Francisco next year.
