@js290 Indeed, aside from naturally occurring in many foods (like plants, teas and coffees) it is essential for the body. symptoms of fluoride deficiency include tooth decay and osteoporosis. Thankfully if you drink coffee or teas you likely get enough. but I do not so I need to supplement it.

@js290 FYI, as I pointed out earlier in a thread the levels of fluoride in teas and coffee are significantly higher than it is in public water supplies where fluoride is added.

@lucifargundam
Not a sufficient daily dose on its own to be maximally effective. Toothpaste only provides flouride to the teeth momentarily. When ingested it causes low levels of flouride in your saliva 24/7. Also toothpaste doesnt help your bones.

@barefootstache
I never ever add sodium salt to my food. If my food need salt i use potassium salt (much healthier). However i have never seen a potassium salt with iodine or fluoride

@freemo

One can't really argue that potassium chloride is healthier than sodium chloride. We both need both minerals and a reduction in either mineral will have negative effects.

The only real place where sodium chloride becomes an issue is if you are sodium sensitive. Then it makes sense to reduce your sodium intake.

@barefootstache As an absolutism you are right, potassium is no healthier than sodium. However in practice not so much.

Virtually all adult humans are deficient in potassium and virtually all adult humans get many times their needed daily value of sodium.

Therefore for the vast majority of people cutting out what salt they can and replacing it with potassium will be substantially healthier as it will mean they are closer to getting adequate amounts of potassium while still getting more than enough of their needed sodium.

@freemo
Assuming "virtually all" means people following a typical Western diet with little to no whole foods, then the statement can be considered true. Otherwise it's quite falsely.

@barefootstache No it literally applies to almost anyone.. Even whole foods that have some level of potassium tend to be too low to provided the minimum daily...

Take coconut water, you would need 20 cans to reach your daily minimum (and this is one of the highest sources of potassium).

Consider bananas. You'd have to eat 1.1kg of banana a day to get your potassium requirement.

So no, evena whole food diet it is very hard to get your needed potassium intake and like i said virtually **everyone** is deficient.

@freemo
Assuming that the RDA (recommended daily amount) of potassium is 3500mg (4700mg in USA).

Considering that legumes, potatoes, sweet potatoes, or bread are staple foods in many countries and a serving of 200g provides about 15% of your RDA.

Assuming you were on a 2000kcal per day diet and just ate the staple foods, you would easily reach the RDA and even the 4700mg recommended in USA.

Thus, I don't really see the difficulty of getting the RDA.