In the 1980s, high blood pressure became a public health concern. Excess salt was one suspected cause: “In large amounts, sodium pulls fluids from the body’s tissues and into the blood, which raises the blood volume and compels the heart to pump more forcefully” (284).

Some groups pressured Americans to abandon their salt shakers. Men, especially, consumed large amounts of salt. Food scientists at Monell analyzed the sources of dietary salt. Packaged foods carried far more salt than people added from salt shakers.

In previous times, people ate salted products that contained far more sodium than now, using salt as a preservative.

Moss writes that the food industry uses salt to increase sales. Cargill, the largest salt producer, says that people love salt.

The government recommends a maximum daily sodium intake of 2,300 milligrams. For at-risk populations, which comprises more than half the American population, the number is 1,500 milligrams of salt. Common food products contain hundreds of milligrams per cup.

Paul Breslin works on salt at Monell. A biologist, he studies salt in fruit flies, which have comparable tastes to humans. He also studies fats, such as olive oil.

Moss and Breslin go to a Greek deli. The feta cheese, spinach pies, and green olives have large amounts of salt.