Is Salt Harmful To Health?

Salt is a natural compound that is commonly used to season food. Enhances the taste and is used as a preservative, can also interrupt the growth of bacteria.

In recent decades, it has gained a bad reputation and has been linked to a number of harmful conditions such as high blood pressure, heart problems, and even stomach cancer.

In fact, the latest dietary measures recommend limiting sodium to 2,300 milligrams a day.

However, some evidence suggests that salt can affect different people in different ways and does not even have as much of an effect on heart health as previously thought.

They call the salt sodium chloride (NaCl), and its composition is 40% sodium and 60% chloride. It is the largest source of sodium and the words "salt" and "sodium" are often replaced by each other.

Salt is extracted in two ways: from salt mines and by evaporating sea (or other mineral-rich) water.

In fact, there are many types of salt, and the most common are plain table (which is enriched with iodine), Himalayan and sea, the latter two are very similar and are considered more useful than iodized.

Salt plays an important role in the body

Some salts may contain calcium, potassium, iron and zinc. The main minerals in salt act as important electrolytes in the body. They help with fluid balance and muscle function.

Sodium concentration is regulated by the body and fluctuations lead to negative effects. Sodium is involved in muscle contractions and losses through sweat or fluid can lead to cramps, especially in athletes.

It also maintains nerve function and regulates blood pressure.

Chloride, on the other hand, is the second most common electrolyte in the blood after sodium. Low amounts of chloride can lead to a condition called respiratory acidosis, which increases the acidity of the blood.

Although both minerals are important, people react differently to sodium. While some have no symptoms, others may suffer from all the popular diseases caused by salt.

There are studies that confirm the thesis that salt intake is a cause of increased risk of stomach cancer. The reason for this is thought to be the increased growth of the bacterium Helicobacter pylori, which can lead to inflammation and stomach ulcers. This increases the risk of stomach cancer.

The second reason is damage to the mucous membrane, as salt can inflame it, thus making it more susceptible to external influences and carcinogens.

It is important to note that these studies only show a link between salt and stomach cancer, but more evidence is needed to determine if it is really the culprit.

The recommendation is to consume about 1 teaspoon of salt a day, which contains 2300 milligrams of sodium, and let's face it, we eat a lot more. Yes, we may not over-salt our food, but think about how much salt is contained in crackers and snacks that thicken the afternoons?

Eating too much salt raises blood pressure, thus increasing the risk of stroke and heart disease.

However, there are some serious doubts about this statement.

It is true that eating less salt can lower blood pressure, especially in people with hypertension who are more sensitive to it.

But for the healthy, the reduction does not have much effect.

Some studies have even found that salt is irrelevant and not associated with a reduced risk of heart attacks and strokes.

How can reduced salt intake be dangerous?

So far, we've looked at the potential dangers of excessive salt intake, but can there be some benefits besides being dangerous?

A 2012 study showed that a low-salt diet raised cholesterol by 2.5% and triglycerides by 7%. This is not the only such study, there are others that have yielded similar results.

Strange as it may sound, several studies have shown that taking less than 3,000 mg of sodium a day increases the risk of heart failure by 160%.

When sodium is deficient, numerous chemical and hormonal "messages" signal the kidneys and sweat glands to retain water and retain the element. When you get more sodium than you need, the kidneys flush out the excess, making the urine more or less salty. However, if you can not get rid of excess sodium, it accumulates in the fluid between the cells. Water is inevitably bound to sodium, and as the volume of this fluid increases, so does the volume of the blood. This means more work for the heart and more pressure on the blood vessels. Over time, blood vessels can harden, leading to high blood pressure, heart attack or stroke. The development of heart failure is also possible. That is why it is very important to know how your body reacts to salt.

Another study found that low sodium intake could cause insulin resistance.

As you know, increased sodium intake, especially if it is not in balance with potassium, leads to water retention. But the opposite effect occurs: at low sodium intake, the body stores too much water (prehydration) and the condition is called Hyponatremia, whose symptoms are fatigue, headache, nausea.

Conclusion

Undoubtedly, like everything on earth, salt has its health benefits, although it often has a negative effect. It is true that we can get all the nutrients and elements from other sources, but this is not always easy. If you have no good reason to stop consuming salt and you are not affected by its intake, you feel good and healthy, there is no reason to exclude it from your menu, but stick to the recommended dose of about 2,300 mg. per day sodium.

If you are under the age of 50, your blood pressure is within normal limits (below 120/80) and your health is good, at the moment you do not have much reason to worry about salt in your menu.

A lower sodium diet is helpful for people who are older, have high blood pressure, diabetes, or whose blood pressure often rises.

If you have heart failure, salt can cause or increase swelling of the body (water retention). Too much salt can lead to hospitalization and the need for powerful intravenous medications to remove excess fluid. People with heart failure are usually advised to keep their sodium intake below 2000 mg per day. Patients with kidney disease are usually advised to do the same.

But it is not enough to remove the salt from the table. The danger comes mostly from processed foods, which imperceptibly increase salt in the body. Remember to eat a varied diet. The more colorful your plate, the less likely you are to overdo it with any ingredient, choose whole foods, eat enough vegetables, it is good that they are present in every meal.