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Of all the items in your pantry right now, salt is probably the most maligned.

Despite being mighty delicious (mmm, salted caramel…), this mineral has earned a pretty bad rep in the nutrition world. Eating too much of it has long been linked to heightened blood pressure, which can contribute to a host of health problems like stroke and heart disease.

Fun fact: here in Australia, we apparently eat three times more salt than we should for good health. Whoops.

RELATED: 5 healthy recipes that don’t taste “healthy”.

However, new research suggests salt could have an unexpected health benefit that’s been overlooked. A report in the journal Cell Metabolism claims salt might be capable of protecting our bodies from the growth of bacteria, and aiding our immune system.

In a series of studies, German researchers examined cells from humans and mice, and noticed that where there was an infection present, there was a higher level of sodium in that area. This was particularly evident in mice that had been bitten by another mouse; there was more salt in their skin.

A great excuse to eat hot chips! Okay, maybe not...

As TIME reports, lead researcher Jonathan Jantsch is now hypothesising that some skin cells might "transport sodium preferentially to sites where bacterial populations are high in order to create another barrier preventing the microbes from entering deeper into the body". The study findings also suggested bacteria grew better when there was no salt present in the cells.

It's an interesting finding when you consider salt water (saline) is so often touted as a healing aid. Did your mum ever tell you a quick swim in the ocean would help clear up that graze on your knee? Maybe she was on to something. Likewise, salt has been used for centuries to prevent meat and other perishable foods from spoiling (in the pre-refrigerator days, that is).

RELATED: Why Megan Gale believes in salt therapy.

However, don't grab the table salt and shake it like a Polaroid picture just yet. These findings don't necessarily mean that a high-salt diet is advisable; the mice used in the study were fed an extremely high-sodium diet, and the researchers are still figuring out the link between salt in the diet and its anti-bacterial healing properties. What this information does suggest is that salt-based wound dressings could have some advantages.

Look, don't be too disheartened. There's some evidence floating around that salt isn't the devil in disguise.

RELATED: Lager is now good for you… and other great news.

Last year, Israeli researchers claimed sodium has depression-fighting qualities, which they speculated is just one reason we crave it so much.

There's even some conjecture around the salt-blood pressure relationship; according to Scientific American, a 2011 study found no solid evidence that reducing salt intake reduces the risk of heart attack, stroke or death among people whose blood pressure was normal or high. A separate study claimed participants who consumed less sodium had a greater risk of dying from heart disease.

So yes, in other words, the jury is still out on salt. These supposedly unhealthy foods, on the other hand...

10 foods you never knew were healthy

Bread

KATIE THOMSITT, Dieticians Australia spokesperson says: "Lots of people shy away from bread to achieve weight loss. But bread is such an important source of fibre, and plays such a helpful role in weight loss and preventing bowel cancer. A couple of slices of a dark, seedy bread per day is absolutely fine."

Cheese

KATIE SAYS: "Cheese is definitely a higher fat source of dairy, but still a good dairy fat. Choose low-fat options if you have it regularly, otherwise consume it in moderation. One serve of dairy is 30g, so a couple of slices is absolutely fine."

Chocolate

KARA LANDAU, The Travelling Dietician says: "Studies have been able to show that dark chocolate can improve insulin sensitivity, reduce blood pressure in healthy individuals, protect against heart disease, and improve HDL good cholesterol (not a bad start for such a tasty food!). Dark chocolate also contains polyphenols, whilst white chocolate does not. These polyphenolic compounds are able to relax blood vessels allowing for better blood circulation, and thereby assisting with the maintenance of healthy blood pressure levels."

Coffee

KATIE SAYS: "Coffee is a really good snack, in particular if its milk-based to get the dairy in - for example, a skim latte. As long as its in moderation - daily guidelines say a maximum of three per day! And you want lots of water on top of that."

Eggs

KARA SAYS: "Yes, even the yolks are good for you! Healthy fat soluble vitamins, as well as half the protein found in an egg, are all found in the yolk!"

Avocado

KATIE SAYS: "Avocado is a healthy fat. Lots of people think its high-fat and not good for you, but its rich in mono unsaturated fats, which give you protection against heart disease. It also helps with controlling lower cholesterol levels."

nuts

KATIE SAYS: "Nuts fall into the same category as avocado - they have lots of healthy oils and fibre."

dairy

KARA SAYS: "Often milk and yoghurts are fortified with Vitamin D (a fat soluble vitamin) which requires a small amount of fat to be present in order for the body to absorb it, therefore having the full fat variety can be of value to enhance the nutritional benefits from the products' consumption. The fat in the dairy also aids with satiety, which could prevent unhealthy snacking at a later point in the day."

Potato

KATIE SAYS: "Potato always gets a bad rap as a starchy vegetable, but it's an excellent source of fibre. Sweet potato in particular is great for weight management and sugar level control. Potatoes are also really rich in potassium."

Red meat

KARA SAYS: People tend to restrict red meat unnecessarily, thinking that its high in saturated fat. "But lean red meat is high in protein, CLA (which has been found to be associated with lower body fat percentages), B12, iron and zinc. These are all nutrients we want to get into our body!"