I wonder when they will stop with this one-size-fits all advice? I guess it's because of this ideal that all humans are equal that pervades our culture, which causes many to assume that all people are fundamentally the same. However, every human is biochemically unique. A diet that works well for one person doesn't necessarily work well for another.
I also think it's a mistake to look at any single nutrient or food in isolation, and ask, is this healthy? It's impossible to answer that, because whether or not something is healthy depends on the rest of the diet. For example, is broccoli healthy? If the rest of your diet consists of fast food, then clearly adding some broccoli would be a good idea. But if the rest of your diet already contains tons and tons of vegetables, then perhaps you have a serious gas problem, and you would be better off avoiding adding broccoli to your diet.
EDIT: I remembered that I read somewhere that sodium "competes" with potassium in the body. Apparently, if you consume a lot of potassium, then you can tolerate more sodium.
I also think it's a mistake to look at any single nutrient or food in isolation, and ask, is this healthy? It's impossible to answer that, because whether or not something is healthy depends on the rest of the diet. For example, is broccoli healthy? If the rest of your diet consists of fast food, then clearly adding some broccoli would be a good idea. But if the rest of your diet already contains tons and tons of vegetables, then perhaps you have a serious gas problem, and you would be better off avoiding adding broccoli to your diet.
EDIT: I remembered that I read somewhere that sodium "competes" with potassium in the body. Apparently, if you consume a lot of potassium, then you can tolerate more sodium.