Should a vegan add salt to food?

[pitzuni]

I follow a vegan diet and eat little to no processed food.  I am concerned that I may not get enough sodium in my diet.  (In college I was diagnosed with hyponatremia once after drinking too much water and having too much alcohol....very dumb)  How much salt should I add to my food every day?  Generally, I eat only fruit at breakfast, salad or veggie/hummus sandwich at lunch, and pasta or beans with salad at dinner.  I don't want too much salt, but I worry about not getting enough from fresh foods especially since I live in an arid climate and work out and sweat on a daily basis.

[allmymarbles]

I left out a word. In the fourth line the sentence should start, "For some ailments a relatively higher intake of...."

[allmymarbles]

The drive to get people to cut down on salt can be harmful to many, since it should only be directed to those who are candidates for heart attacks and strokes. Everyone else should use a moderate amount of salt. It is necessary for health. For some ailments a relatively intake of salt is recommended. Be sure to use iodized salt since most people are deficient in iodine. This is partly because the nation, as a whole, is cutting down on salt use, and because the fluoride int eh water displaces iodine.

[NaturAli]

I recommend only adding salt only to foods that you make from scratch yourself.

Don't add salt to frozen foods, they are already high enough in sodium.

Also, I heard sea salt is better for you than table salt, and I prefer sea salt anyways.

[ginger899]

Kelp is good. It contains iodine. You could get that from your health food store.
If you want to be vegan, you need to read up about nutrition, and find some good vegan cook books. To make sure you get a balanced diet, and all of the nutrients you need. A good A-Z of multivitamins/minerals as a supplement might be a good idea too, to take every day. If you're worried about ingredients, get one from a health food store.

I wouldn't worry about some salt in your diet. You should have some. Recommended amount for adults is maximum 6 grams a day. Also, food doesn't taste so good without a little salt added in cooking (or stock, miso, or veggie bouillon powder, or something!)
I HATE food without any salt! Always had a little salt with my food, and it hasn't done me any harm. In hot weather you do need some.

[jasmine1988]

It seems you only eat fruits, and definitely you wouldn't be getting enough vitamins, if any from vegetables. The same goes for salt, salt is needed because that is mainly a source of iodine, in which its deficiency results in endemic goitre. This is a condition that happens when there is inadequate iodine, which is definitely not found in veggies, but sea weeds and this results in an enlarged thyroid gland, so that thyroid hormone is produced in appropriate quantities.
The only way out probably is to use iodine supplements, so that you don't end up taking in too much salt.
Take care.

[caregiver222]

You have another issue. In the United States salt is iodized, to prevent goiter.

With a 100 percent vegan diet you may not be getting enough iodine.

Salt is necessary for the functioning of the body, especially in hot weather when you sweat. That is why the United States Army issues salt tablets.

How much salt is a "how many angels on the head of a pin question". It depends on body weight and also how much sweating you do.

Use common sense, but a bit of salt won't harm you.