Salt is an absolutely essential ingredient in most processed food. So it’s no surprise that the food industry is starting to make a little hay of new research concluding that too little salt in the diet might be as harmful as too much.

鹽yan絕jue對dui是shi大da多duo數shu加jia工gong食shi品pin中zhong不bu可ke或huo缺que的de一yi種zhong原yuan料liao。因yin此ci，食shi品pin行xing業ye因yin為wei一yi項xiang最zui新xin研yan究jiu結jie果guo而er陷xian入ru混hun亂luan，也ye就jiu不bu顯xian得de意yi外wai。該gai研yan究jiu稱cheng，食shi物wu中zhong含han鹽yan過guo少shao可ke能neng與yu含han鹽yan過guo多duo有you同tong樣yang的de危wei害hai。

But the industry so far is treading carefully. There are two reasons for that: first, because at this point it’s impossible for food producers to know what to do with this new data, all of it published recently by the New England Journal of Medicine; and second, because over the years, the food industry has created a whole thriving market for “low sodium” products. Any kind of sweeping statement on salt would hurt one part of the industry or another.

但到目前為止
，食品行業一直在小心翼翼地應對這項研究結論。原因有兩個：首先，因為食品製造商尚不清楚該如何對待《新英格蘭醫學期刊》（New England Journal of Medicine）近期公布的這些新數據
；其次，多年以來，食品行業已經形成了一個紅火的“低鈉”食品市場。任何與鹽有關的概括陳述
，都會對該行業的某個部分造成損壞。

Three studies were published. Two of them concluded that underconsumption of salt might be harmful. A third basically matched the findings of earlier research, showing that cardiovascular risk rises with increases in sodium consumption of over 2 grams per day — the maximum recommended by the World Health Organization (that’s the equivalent of 5 grams of salt, since salt is about 40% of salt). The first two have drawn criticism because of the methodology used, but those are the ones the media picked up on — which is not surprising given that the media love counterintuitive science stories. The third study was far more rigorous and far less assailable.

《新英格蘭醫學期刊》共(gong)發(fa)表(biao)了(le)三(san)項(xiang)研(yan)究(jiu)結(jie)果(guo)。其(qi)中(zhong)兩(liang)項(xiang)研(yan)究(jiu)的(de)結(jie)論(lun)是(shi)
，鹽(yan)攝(she)入(ru)量(liang)過(guo)低(di)可(ke)能(neng)有(you)害(hai)。第(di)三(san)項(xiang)研(yan)究(jiu)基(ji)本(ben)上(shang)符(fu)合(he)此(ci)前(qian)的(de)研(yan)究(jiu)成(cheng)果(guo)，這(zhe)項(xiang)研(yan)究(jiu)發(fa)現(xian)每(mei)天(tian)鈉(na)攝(she)入(ru)量(liang)超(chao)過(guo)兩(liang)克(ke)，便(bian)會(hui)增(zeng)加(jia)心(xin)血(xue)管(guan)疾(ji)病(bing)的(de)風(feng)險(xian)。兩(liang)克(ke)是(shi)世(shi)界(jie)衛(wei)生(sheng)組(zu)織(zhi)建(jian)議(yi)的(de)最(zui)高(gao)攝(she)入(ru)量(liang)（相當於5克鹽
，因為食鹽中含40%的鈉）。前兩項研究因為使用的方法而遭到批評
，但它們卻引起了媒體的興趣——這沒有什麼奇怪的
，媒體就是喜歡這種違反直覺的科學故事。第三項研究則更為嚴謹
，受到的批評要少得多。

All three studies are certainly legitimate — peer reviewed and published in a prestigious journal. And there’s not much science behind how what researchers called “aggressively low” salt targets might affect human health. But the first two were observational and found only an association between such low sodium intake and cardiovascular risk, not a cause-and-effect relationship. More study is surely needed, but none of the research published last week counters what is the overwhelming (though not universal) scientific consensus: that in general we eat too much salt and that it poses health risks, particularly hypertension.

這三項研究當然都是合理正當的——都經過同行評議且在著名期刊上發表。至於研究人員所謂“過分低的”鹽(yan)攝(she)入(ru)量(liang)目(mu)標(biao)會(hui)影(ying)響(xiang)人(ren)體(ti)健(jian)康(kang)
，並(bing)沒(mei)有(you)具(ju)體(ti)的(de)科(ke)學(xue)依(yi)據(ju)。前(qian)兩(liang)項(xiang)研(yan)究(jiu)屬(shu)於(yu)觀(guan)察(cha)性(xing)研(yan)究(jiu)，僅(jin)發(fa)現(xian)低(di)鈉(na)攝(she)入(ru)量(liang)與(yu)心(xin)血(xue)管(guan)疾(ji)病(bing)風(feng)險(xian)存(cun)在(zai)一(yi)種(zhong)聯(lian)係(xi)
，但(dan)並(bing)非(fei)因(yin)果(guo)關(guan)係(xi)。需(xu)要(yao)進(jin)行(xing)更(geng)多(duo)研(yan)究(jiu)才(cai)能(neng)確(que)定(ding)兩(liang)者(zhe)之(zhi)間(jian)的(de)具(ju)體(ti)關(guan)係(xi)
，但(dan)上(shang)周(zhou)發(fa)表(biao)的(de)三(san)項(xiang)研(yan)究(jiu)均(jun)反(fan)對(dui)一(yi)項(xiang)壓(ya)倒(dao)性(xing)的(de)科(ke)學(xue)共(gong)識(shi)（雖然並非普世共識）：一般而言，我們攝入過多鹽會帶來健康風險，尤其是高血壓。

After the research was published, the Grocery Manufacturers Association called for more study of the question, basically echoing what the New England Journal of Medicine itself said. The GMA was careful not to specifically endorse (or dispute) the new research, which is not surprising given the quandary it presents. The problem can be seen within the GMA’s statement itself. It’s almost an internal dialogue:

研究發表以後
，食品雜貨製造商協會（Grocery Manufacturers Association）呼籲就該問題進行更多研究

，這與《新英格蘭醫學期刊》本身的觀點基本類似。食品雜貨製造商協會非常謹慎，沒有對新研究表示特別支持（或質疑），jianyuqisuochudeliangnanjingdi，zhezhongtaiduzaiyuliaozhizhong。congshipinzahuozhizaoshangxiehuideshengmingzhongbiannengkanchuqimianlindenanti。zhefenshengminggengxiangshiyiduanneibutaolun：

“GMA members have been reformulating products for decades to provide lower sodium options to help consumers achieve healthy sodium intake levels. Our industry has reformulated thousands of products to reduce sodium content and meet consumer taste preferences. The industry has also developed a wide variety of reduced, low or no-added sodium products to help consumers follow recommendations of their health care professionals.”

“數shu十shi年nian來lai，食shi品pin雜za貨huo製zhi造zao商shang協xie會hui的de成cheng員yuan一yi直zhi在zai調tiao整zheng食shi品pin的de成cheng分fen
，希xi望wang為wei消xiao費fei者zhe提ti供gong低di鈉na選xuan擇ze，幫bang助zhu消xiao費fei者zhe達da到dao健jian康kang的de鈉na攝she入ru量liang水shui平ping。為wei了le減jian少shao鈉na含han量liang並bing滿man足zu消xiao費fei者zhe的de口kou味wei偏pian好hao
，我wo們men的de行xing業ye對dui數shu千qian種zhong食shi品pin的de成cheng分fen進jin行xing了le重zhong新xin調tiao整zheng。此ci外wai，我wo們men的de行xing業ye還hai開kai發fa出chu各ge種zhong減jian少shao鈉na含han量liang、低鈉或不添加鈉的食品，以幫助消費者遵從醫療保健專業人員的建議。”