Salt is essential to plants as well as animals, and so it is present in everything we eat. The significance of a low-sodium diet is that it helps to achieve proper electolyte balance. Generally the opinion that a dish "needs salt" is based on expectations conditioned by recipes going back to a time when salt was a leading means of preserving foods. It is almost impossible to develop a sodium deficiency. Those who have been advised to limit their sodium intake for health reasons should focus on getting adequate amounts of potassium, calcium, and other electrolytes, and plenty of water. This is simply good nutrition, and is equally applicable to those whose sodium intake has not become a matter of medical concern.
