Do you reach for the salt shaker before even trying your meal? Do you buy foods without any consideration for the sodium content? You are not alone. We are accustomed to using salt on a daily basis, to cook, to perk up the food flavors, to function. Yet, salt is also often blamed for the raging obesity epidemic and gets a lot of criticism, most recently from the American Medical Association. Is salt a friend or an enemy and are all kinds of salt fair game?
We need salt
Our bodies need sodium – to carry nutrients into the cells, to regulate body functions, like blood pressure and fluid retention. It also helps with the lining of blood vessels leading to the pressure balance.
Salt helps nerve impulses and aids muscle contraction. It regulates the fluid balance, including blood and tears.
Have you ever tried gargling salt water to relieve a sore throat? It really works! Since water molecules travel to water with higher salt concentration, any kind of swollen part can be helped with salt. When you are dehydrated and drink Gatorade or other sports drinks, or your child needs Pedialyte to recover from diarrhea/dehydration, remember that salt is the key component in electrolytes present in these drinks. The added salt helps our bodies rehydrate.
Salt can also cause damage
American Medical Association is warning that Americans are consuming high amounts of sodium, up to 6,000 milligrams a day, instead of the recommended 500 to 2,000 milligrams per day. This can lead to serious health problems.
Our kidneys and liver help rid the body of the excess salt. Too much salt, often from processed foods, is taxing on the body, resulting in high blood pressure and liver and kidney damage. Lower blood pressure and you will lower your risk of heart disease and stroke.
If you consume too much salt, your taste buds are not attuned to the natural fresh flavors, covered up by the salt. Lower the amount of salt consumed and you will start noticing that fresh dill or lime or ocean fish. Cooking with herbs is not only more gourmet, it’s good for your digestive system. So try to substitute the excess salt with herbs.
All kinds of salt are not created equal
There is a difference between the table salt (sodium chloride) added to almost every type of processed food and the mineral rich sea salt. Regular table salt is extremely refined and chemically cleansed, which is not the best thing for our bodies. Unlike table salt, sea salt is nature’s own sodium chloride, which includes major minerals (calcium, magnesium among others). Sea salt is what humans used since the beginning of time. This is also the salt used in the so popular Mediterranean diet, so good to the heart. So while table salt may cause serious damage when taken in excess, sea salt is better for your body. However, everything is good in moderation.
