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SaltWorks Joins National Debate on Sodium Intake, Warning That Deprivation of This Vital Mineral May Carry Risks

WOODINVILLE, Wash., July 17, 2012 — You've heard of the war on drugs. But did you know there's a war on salt? While some of the country's leading politicians, government agencies and medical organizations deem salt the "number-one enemy" to health and want to ban it from dishes and diets everywhere, dissenting voices are cropping up in major news outlets like The New York Times and CNN. Mark Zoske, CEO of SaltWorks®, Inc., agrees that now is the time to speak out.

"People who talk about banning salt are not considering all the facts," says Zoske, who in 11 years has grown SaltWorks into the largest gourmet salt company worldwide. "Here's the bottom-line truth: People cannot survive without some sodium in their diet, and reducing your salt intake to a degree that is disproportionate to your body's specific sodium needs can wreak havoc on your health."

However, major research studies, government agencies and healthcare leaders everywhere indicate the opposite, setting national sodium intake guidelines and recommendations based on the ideology that "salt alone" may cause high blood pressure and associated premature death, among other alarming health conditions. Yet salt in and of itself is not actually bad for you, Zoske says.

"In fact, nothing could be further from the truth," he continues. "Salt is vital to human life, and I challenge anti-salt believers everywhere to go without salt for a month and see how they feel. You can actually live longer without food than you can without salt, and if your body is starving for salt, you will know it. Moreover, salt is actually one of the most healthful minerals you can consume, and it plays a vital role in organ function. Salt only becomes dangerous when people consume it in amounts out of sync with their body's particular needs."

To achieve moderation, Zoske cautions against eliminating salt altogether and instead suggests:

  • assessing the sources of your sodium intake to determine whether there is a balance between pre-packaged, processed products and all-natural or organic foods;
  • reducing sodium intake by reducing reliance on processed foods; and
  • choosing quality, natural sea salt, as opposed to refined salt (pure sodium chloride) that is systematically stripped of its organic benefits, adulterated with an anti-caking agent, and factory-processed.

"Unrefined, natural sea salts are nothing like their chemical counterpart — they're minerals and trace elements that exist in the ocean," Zoske says. "SaltWorks natural sea salts simply come from solar-dried ocean water, with their crystals forming on their own accord, within concentration ponds and the help of sun and wind. Natural sea salts are gifts from Mother Nature that are almost always harvested by sea salt farmers, not chemists, and, I believe, they are given to us for the purpose of nourishing certain aspects of our health and maintaining optimum functionality."

About SaltWorks

SaltWorks is America's sea salt company, founded in 2001 and offering the largest selection and finest brands in the world, including Bokek®, Artisan Salt Company®, Fusion®, and Pure Ocean®. No other company offers as many types, packaging configurations, or grain sizes. All of SaltWorks' natural sea salts are kosher certified and guaranteed for purity and quality. Learn more at www.seasalt.com and www.artisansalt.com.

Contact:

Naomi Novotny
SaltWorks, Inc.
800-353-7258

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