Scientists disagree whether salt is killing us
By Peter Whoriskey, New York Times
The debate over the perils of salty diets may be one of the most polarized in all of science.
On one side, scientists warn ominously that most Americans are killing themselves with salt. On the other, scientists insist most Americans are fine.
The inability to resolve this question may seem puzzling. It is a question with deadly consequences, at least potentially. How much salt is healthy? Given the marvels of technology, it seems like that ought to be an easy one.
Now a review of hundreds of papers on the topic indicates that the inability to reach a consensus stems at least partially from the fact that the two groups of scientists operate, in essence, in parallel scientific universes.
