Salt: friend or enemy?

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 customarily use salt on a daily basis – to cook, to perk up food flavors, to function. Yet we often blame it for the raging obesity epidemic, and most recently the American Medical Association has been critical of it. So is salt bad for you, or is it more of a friend than an enemy – and are all kinds of salt fair game?

We need salt

Before you decide whether salt is bad for you, it helps to know why your body needs it in the first place. Our bodies need sodium – to carry nutrients into the cells, to regulate body functions like blood pressure and fluid retention.

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, salt can help any kind of swollen part . 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.

Is salt bad for you in large amounts?

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.

Not all salt is the same

Table salt (sodium chloride) appears in almost every type of processed food, but it differs from mineral-rich sea salt. Manufacturers refine regular table salt heavily and cleanse it chemically, which doesn’t serve our bodies well. Sea salt, by contrast, is nature’s own sodium chloride and contains major minerals like calcium and magnesium. Humans have used sea salt since the beginning of time, and it’s the salt that anchors the popular Mediterranean diet—good news for the heart.