Part 5/9:
Diving deeper into the realities of sodium consumption, historical data from Western societies indicate that people used to consume between 15 to 17 grams of salt daily without significant health issues. Fast forward to present times, and South Korea offers a fascinating case study—its citizens consume far more salt on average than Americans, yet they enjoy some of the lowest rates of heart disease globally.
Such instances have fueled what is now known as the “Korean paradox”—a phenomenon highlighting that higher dietary sodium intake does not necessarily equate to increased health risks. Data suggests that populations consuming higher sodium levels may experience protective effects against hypertension and heart disease.