The New York State Supreme Court recently upheld a New York City law requiring restaurants to put a special label on menu items containing more than "the recommended daily allowance" for salt.
This will once again lead to consumer confusion regarding how these salt allowances are created by government, what salt does in the body, and if it is as toxic as some groups have claimed.
To bring clarity to the issue, the American Council on Science and Health, the renowned 38-year-old science and health non-profit, has released a consumer-level book on salt; how the body uses it, how safe levels are determined, and if it is getting a fair shake. Written by Medical Director Dr. Lila Abassi, with input from the Council's esteemed Scientific Advisory Panel, the work includes primary research and an overview of salt's biological pathways.
The book is intended to increase public awareness about salt, to inform policy makers, and also demystify some of the claims being made about this vital mineral.
"Our mission has always been to separate health threats from health scares, and the recent decision by the New York court may lead to confusing the public at a time when the consensus on salt has changed from what policy makers used in creating this new regulation," said Council President Hank Campbell.
It is available free of charge for download on our website at http://acsh.org and hard copies may be purchased on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/dp/0991005554.