For some people, reaching for the salt shaker is part of eating like butter is part of bread. But the vital mineral, which was once weighed in with gold, nowadays not only stands for enjoyment, but is associated with a guilty conscience for many. Too much salt on the plate, as we have heard and read for many years, leads to high blood pressure and thus to early cardiac death. A person should not consume more than six grams of salt per day, warns the German Nutrition Society - a limit that is exceeded with the third piece of cheese or ham.
On average, men in Germany consume ten grams and women 8.4 grams of salt a day. The World Health Organization warns against more than five grams a day. What many consider to be well-founded expert advice is highly controversial in science. A plethora of recent studies has questioned the unhealthy salt thesis. It remains a mystery what motivates institutions such as WHO and DGE to stick to their dubious recommendations.