A few years ago the health division of the National Academies commissioned a panel to review all the science to date and concluded that there was no evidence that people would benefit from giving up moderate sodium intake. Some studies suggested that people who consumed very little sodium had a greater risk of dying from stroke or heart disease. At the time, the doctor who led the panel, Brian Strom of Rutgers University, told me the 1,500 milligram goal was derived from a process that was “not entirely rational.”
If you’re craving an essential nutrient, you should probably pay attention.