If you are currently suffering from a debilitating fast food addiction, you may now have a reason to be slightly less ashamed of yourself.  Much to the chagrin of the status quo, the findings of an 8 year long study was recently posted in a prestigious medical journal, suggesting that a low-salt diet can actually increase your risk of heart disease. 

The test, published in the May issue of Journal of the American Medical Association, featured over 3,500 European and Russian test subjects, all roughly 40 years old at the time the test began.  The amount of salt excretion was measured in urine samples, which is thought to be the most accurate method of salt intake given the fact that measuring it in the food prior to ingestion would be near impossible.  After 8 years, 84 of the subjects had died from cardiovascular related ailments.  Surprisingly, the top 33% of salt consumers, that ingested around 6 grams of salt a day, suffered only 10 deaths.  The median group, which ingested roughly 4 grams per day, accounted for 24 of the total deaths.  Most shocking of all, the lowest (or what we would normally call the “healthiest”) demographic of salt consumers, made up 50 of the 84 deaths. 

If you’re blinded by the letters B and S flashing in your mind right now, you’re not alone.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has relieved itself of its customarily objective stance on these sorts of issues, claiming that there are simply too many flaws in the study.  Amongst not having enough test subjects, they claimed that a large portion of the 50 subjects who died while on a low-salt diet were also frequent smokers.  They also claimed that the subjects were too young, since a large number of cardiovascular related deaths occur beyond the 50 year old mark.   

However, fast food addicts aren’t the only ones rejoicing… many feel vindicated by these new findings, including (although not surprisingly) the Salt Institute, which lauds salt for its ability to moderate insulin levels and prevent the buildup of a resistance that could lead to diabetes.

Regardless of which side you’re on, both sides seem to agree that limiting your salt intake is not a very good method of preventing heart disease anyway.  Most experts say that exercise and as little as a 5% loss of body fat can considerably reduce your risk of developing hypertension, as well as cutting back on animal fats, sweets, and sugars in your diet. 

So, what do you think?  Do you think that the CDC and all the other opponents of this test are simply reactionaries working to protect the status quo, or are we seeing a legitimate breakthrough in medicine?

Eric Hirota is a personal trainer for LAVA Sport & Fitness in San Diego, CA. He specializes in plyometrics and abdominal workouts. 

Today, the typical American is surrounded by sugary foods.  Sweets are found at the grocery store, gas station and plenty of restaurants—fast food or not.  And for most of you, it’s probably true that you’re surrounded by sugar in your own home.

Because of the negative health affects sugar has on our health, many people choose to go “sugar-free.”  Seeing your favorite treat with those words on it may be music to your ears, or it may scream “stay away” because of the several claims that have been made about the safety of artificial sweeteners.

Sugar free foods have not lost their sweetness because they are sweetened with sugar substitutes.  There are many brands, and they’re all similar to sugar.  Except for the fact that they contain no calories and have little glycemic response.

Artificial sweeteners are FDA approved.  This means that they go through several studies by the Food and Drug Administration to assess their safety.  The FDA also establishes ADIs (Acceptable Daily Intakes) for every artificial sweetener.  They figure out the largest amount of the substance a person would have to ingest before receiving health problems.  Here is an example for aspartame:  To reach the ADI, a 150-pound adult would have to consume 20 cans of diet soda in a single day.  Hopefully, for most of us that’s pretty difficult to do, and it shouldn’t be a problem to avoid.

It has been said that sugar substitutes can play a role in obesity, from both sides.  An overweight individual who replaces high sugar foods with sugar substituted foods may end up losing weight.  However, artificial sweeteners can mess with appetite control.  They make your body think you’re eating sugar, therefore you crave it more which can lead to overeating.  So if you’re going to use artificial sweeteners, do so with caution.  Make sure you’re controlling your appetite with a  healthy diet and regular exercise. 

People who are diabetic may benefit from sugar substitutes because they do not affect blood sugar.  However, always consult with a doctor before significantly changing your diet.  They can help decide what is best for your condition. 

There have been several claims that artificial sweeteners cause health problems such as mood disorders, headaches, multiple schlerosis…even cancer!  Yet there is no proof of any of these claims.  So, if you choose to use artificial sweeteners, don’t be afraid.  Incorporate them into a healthy, balanced diet and you will not have any problems.

Remember that all approved artificial sweeteners, including acesulfame-potassium, aspartame, neotame, saccharin, stevia and sucralose have gone through numerous studies to prove their safety.  If they weren’t safe, the FDA wouldn’t approve them.  They can help with weight loss but also cause the opposite affect if you aren’t paying attention to the rest of your diet and exercise habits.  Artificial sweeteners are beneficial for diabetics, obese and health conscious individuals.  In order for sugar substitutes to cause problems, you would have to consume extremely large amounts of it on a daily basis, something that is nearly impossible for most people.

Brianna Elliott is a third year dietetics student at the University of Wisconsin – Stout.  She also contributes regularly to a health and nutrition website called PSCLife.com.  This site carries a wide variety of health and nutritional supplements including sugar free products like Fiber Choice Sugar Free Chewable Tablets.  She thinks it’s important for people to know the truth about artificial sweeteners because there is so much misinformation in the world about them.