Atkins said while you are under 50 Ncarbs you need the extra salt. You should be in ketosis then.

Let me clarify - how much salt should I be getting as someone who's on a moderate low carb diet NOT in ketosis?

I know I was getting way too little salt before, but that was for ANY diet (about 700 mg/day, since I had stopped eating processed foods). Now I'm just trying to find the right level. :-/

700mg is not adequate by any means on any diet.

Even on a standard SAD diet there was no harm from eating 3000 or more mg a day until you get up to around 7000. Going under 3000 was linked to harm.

So make sure you're getting at least 3000g no matter how many carbs you eat.

If you have any symptoms like dizziness, palpitations, feeling any low carb flu symptoms, increase it until they go away.

Phinney/Volek recommended 3000-5000mg (3g-5g).

Salt Tip

Get some of that boxed beef broth -- not reduced sodium, obviously.

Add some delicious butter to a hot cup full of it. Delicious!

I haven't read the entire last year's worth of posts, but just thought I would add that our doctor, who is very bright and open-minded and is now convinced that practically and scientifically lc or vlc is the best way of life, just told us this about salt. I've done lc off and on for probably 10 years, but never knew about the salt factor! He said it works wonders for any of those weak/low energy spells on lc.

I've been back on since our appointment about 3 weeks ago, but find myself getting a lot of muscle cramps the last few days, even when I am pushing fluids and supplementing magnesium and potassium. May need to drink some salty broth...which he also recommended.

Thanks for sharing this helpful info!

I just has a lovely hot mug of Bovril!
I have not had any in ages, the carb found on the pot says 2.9g of which 0.1 is sugars.
Does anyone have any idea if this will stall me or raise my blood pressure?

I have always had a really low tolerance for salty food; I just plain don't like it. Since eating LC however I have been noticing occasionally bouts of dizziness when standing up suddenly. So, after reading this thread, I am working hard to find palatable ways to up my salt intake. I recently bought a SodaStream water carbonator (which has also been instrumental in upping my water intake), and find that a large pinch of salt in each glass adds a pleasant "mineral" taste without tasting particularly salty. I'm experimenting now with how big a pinch I can tolerate. The dizzy spells are lessening.

Right now I'm taking a teaspoon in a glass of water twice a day. I'm actually enjoying sipping it. Maybe it's the heat. I tried adding salt to water in the winter, and it had to be heavily diluted to be palatable.

Time to bump this up in my subscription list. I STILL take 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of salt a day when I am under 50 grams of n carbs a day

TO be honest I have read the first pages before, but the info didn't sink in. I needed to be hit over the head a few times( name withheld to protect the not so innocent, lol) and I FINALLY got it. Will test how much I need, starting with 2 tsp a day to deal with what is probably a big deficit in my biological system.

Takeing 1 tsp a day of lite salt was only marginally fixing the problem. Hoping 2 tsp salt and the 1 tsp lite salt fix the problem, along with a double dose of magnesium.

It is such a relief to have enough salt!!

Let's see if I've got this right:
* eat saturated fat (check)
* this includes bacon (check) and beef (double check)
* add 5 g sodium to daily diet (check)
* don't do chronic cardio (check)
* get more sleep instead of getting up early to exercise (check)
= be healthier!

Thanks for nothing, conventional wisdom health advice of the 60s/70s/80s/90s/00s/still going on!

Life is getting better and better!!!!!

I know we have mentioned this on another thread and thank you in advance, Nancy for providing information regarding low carb and salt. However, I am really wondering how much to use? I have sea salt grinder so I just put some on my salads, but have no idea how much I am using. I wonder if I am doing too much and that is why my face feels bloated or puffy?