We have known that salt is a vital part of the diet since pre-history. The problem is the modern diet, (Western, Eastern, or other) is rich in rich foods, and e

We have known that salt is a vital part of the diet since pre-history. The problem is the modern diet, (Western, Eastern, or other) is rich in rich foods, and essentially all land animals evolved to favor salt, by taste rewards, geography, or whatever other genetic conditioning. Salt was scarce. Now it's not. And the access to salt induces direct salt consumption, which can be lethal to a brittle hypertensive, but also encourages more food consumption in general because it makes almost any food more delicious.