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What is Salt?
What is Salt?
Everyone needs salt for fluid balance and muscle and nerve function. But too much salt is bad for us, we hear. So how much do we need?
\r\n\r\nThe human body regulates how much sodium it contains. If levels are too high, we get thirsty and drink, and the kidneys speed up the process of getting rid of it.
\r\n\r\nToo much sodium has been linkedTrusted Source to kidney stones, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease.
\r\n\r\nToo little sodium can lead to hyponatremia, and symptoms of dizziness, confusion, muscle twitches and seizures.
\r\n\r\nMost Americans consume too much salt and sodium, due to a high intake of processed, restaurant, and convenience foods. How far should we go in cutting out salt?
\r\n\r\nWhat we know as salt is really sodium chloride. It is 40 percent sodium and the rest is chlorine.
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Fast facts about salt
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- The body needs salt, but too much or too little can cause problems. \r\n
- Sodium makes up 40 percent of salt. If a food label lists sodium instead of salt, multiply the answer by 2.5 for an accurate picture of the salt content. \r\n
- Most Americans take in too much salt, and 75 percent of it is hidden in processed and packaged food. \r\n
- The American Heart Association (AHA) recommend a maximum intake of no more than 2.3 grams (g) or 2,300 milligrams (mg) of sodium a day, or around 1 teaspoon, and preferably no more than 1,500 mg. \r\n
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The word salt comes from the Latin word “sal,” meaning salt. It was once a valuable commodity, and it has been used as a currency for trading. The English word “salary” comes from the word salt.
\r\n\r\nSalt has long been used for flavoring and for preserving food. It has also been used in tanning, dyeing and bleaching, and the production of pottery, soap, and chlorine. Today, it is widely used in the chemical industry.
\r\n\r\nIt commonly features at the table or in the kitchen as free-flowing table salt, rock salt, sea salt, or kosher salt. High levels of salt, or sodium, come hidden in everyday foods, from fast food to frozen chicken.
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Effects
\r\nThe body uses sodium to maintain fluid levels. A balance of fluid and sodium is necessary for the health of the heart, liver, and kidneys. It regulates blood fluids and prevents low blood pressure.
Too little salt
\r\nLow sodium levels can result if there is too much fluid in the body, for example, because of fluid retention. Diuretics are given in this case, to reduce fluid retention.
Other causes of low sodium in the body include:
\r\n\r\nAddison disease
\r\na blockage in the small intestine
\r\ndiarrhea and vomiting
\r\nan underactive thyroid
\r\nheart failure
\r\ndrinking too much water
\r\nburns
\r\nIf sodium levels fall in the blood, this affects brain activity. The person may feel sluggish and lethargic. They may experience muscle twitches, followed by seizures, a loss of consciousness, coma, and death. If sodium levels fall quickly, this may happen very fast.
In older people, symptoms can be severe.
\r\n\r\nOne study found that when rats were deprived of sodium, they kept away from activities that they normally enjoyed. The researchers suggested, therefore, that sodium could act as an antidepressant.
\r\n\r\nToo much salt
\r\nExcess sodium intake has been linked to health problems, such as osteoporosis, kidney disease, and hypertension, or high blood pressure, which can lead to cardiovascular disease and stroke.
The American Heart Association (AHA) explainTrusted Source that when there is too much sodium in the blood, it “pulls more water into the bloodstream.” As the volume of blood increases, the heart has to work harder to pump it around the body. In time, this can stretch the walls of the blood vessels, making them more susceptible to damage.
\r\n\r\nHigh blood pressure also contributes to the buildup of plaque in the arteries, leading to a greater risk of stroke and heart disease, among other problems.
\r\n\r\nThe AHA urgeTrusted Source people to consume more potassium at the same time as reducing their sodium intake. Potassium is believed to lessen the negative effects of sodium.
\r\n\r\nSodium has also been shownTrusted Source to overstimulate the immune system, suggesting a link with autoimmune diseases such as lupus, multiple sclerosis, allergies, and other conditions.
\r\n\r\nResearchers have found that children who consume salty foods are more likelyTrusted Source to have a sugary drink with it. The combination could increase the risk of obesity.
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