Salt: health benefits and harms

The use of salt with food is necessary for the normal functioning of the human body. However, among the people this vital element was nicknamed “white death”. A few relevant facts will help dispel outdated stereotypes

Salt is always present in the daily diet of every person – it consists of sodium and chlorine. These minerals maintain water and acid-base balance, as well as regulate the stable functioning of the body’s digestive system. It is the importance of this seasoning for the body that determines the presence of taste buds on the tongue that react to salty. And that’s why we like salty foods so much (1).

This mineral enters the body only from the outside, so constant monitoring of the amount of salt consumed allows you to maintain a high level of health. Despite the obvious positive properties of salt, its excess can harm the body. Together with a nutritionist, we figure out how much salt should be present in the daily diet to maintain good health.

Salt types

To date, a large number of unique types of salt have been isolated, which differ in caliber, texture, taste and color. Different types of salt contain such useful elements as zinc, calcium, selenium, potassium, copper, iron, phosphorus, magnesium and iodine.

Salt or edible salt

Table salt, due to repeated purification, has a purity of at least 97% and contains practically no other minerals, in addition to the salt itself. Therefore, edible salt has the lowest cost in comparison with other varieties. In Our Country, table salt is mined at Lake Elton in the Volgograd Region and Lake Baskunchak in the Astrakhan Region. This type of salt has the purest salty taste, which makes it possible to control its amount during the cooking process. However, it does not differ in diversity and breadth.

Iodized salt

Iodized salt is table salt with the addition of potassium iodide. In Our Country, there is a constant increase in the number of iodine deficiency diseases. To prevent iodine deficiency, salt is iodized. This method is the simplest and most effective, since such salt is included in the daily diet of every person and has a low cost. Depending on the duration of storage, the amount of iodine in such salt decreases, so the shelf life should not exceed six months.

Kosher salt

Kosher salt is the same table salt, but in larger granules and in a different (flat rather than square) crystal shape. It does not have any special differences in taste, but it is worth noting that it is never iodized. This type of salt is obtained through a special evaporation process. Kosher salt got its name due to its widespread use in koshering meat – rubbing the carcass. Kosher salt is easier to feel with your fingers, so in many countries it has become a kind of professional cooking standard – especially in America, where it is most produced.

Sea salt

Sea salt is obtained from concentrated brine in an area flooded with salt water. Due to the nature of the origin, there are a large number of varieties of sea salt, as well as methods for its extraction. It is scraped off, frozen, dried and recrystallized. Sea salt, mined in different seas, differs in its chemical composition, a set of additional impurities and variety, which enriches its taste.

Flavored salt

Flavored salt is prepared by man. In order to give salt a special smell, various additives are added to it, for example, spices, flowers, herbs and even wine. In Our Country, due to its unusual taste, the preparation of traditional Thursday salt is of particular interest. To prepare it, a mixture of table salt, kvass grounds and soaked rye bread is baked in the oven and pounded in a mortar. Flavored salts give dishes new savory shades, so they are often used in cooking.

The history of salt in the diet

The first mention of the use of salt in food can be traced back to ancient times. It has been scientifically proven that salt was part of the daily diet of the inhabitants of ancient Egypt. The 4700-year-old Chinese pharmaceutical treatise Pen-Tsao-Kan-Mu also touches on the use of salt in the household and in treatment.

Over the centuries, salt has become an integral part of the meal for both the aristocracy and the common people, eventually spreading to the countries of Europe, Asia and Africa.

Given the difficulties in mining, in certain historical periods, salt had a very high cost and even served as a cash equivalent. In antiquity, salt was used to pay salaries to soldiers and officials. In ancient Rome and Central Africa, a few blocks of salt were allowed to purchase a slave. And the tax on salt, invented in ancient China, replenished the state treasury of many countries for many centuries, which periodically led to salt riots.

In Our Country, the first mention of salt mining dates back to 1037, when Prince Svyatoslav imposed a salt tax on each saltworks. Initially, salt was extracted from brines pumped out of the bowels.

The significance of salt in the life of the inhabitants of Our Country can also be traced by a wide variety of folk expressions, sayings and beliefs. Spilling salt meant imminent misfortune, and in order to better understand a person, it was necessary to “eat a pood of salt” with him. So bread and salt turned into symbols of the hospitality of the people.

Today, almost 40% of salt in Our Country is mined from Lake Baskunchak in the Astrakhan region. Every year in more than 90 countries, 250 million tons of salt are mined in various ways. Salt is used in all spheres of life, while its world geological reserves are practically inexhaustible.

The composition and calorie content of salt

Common table salt (NaCl) is 40% sodium and 60% chlorine. Sodium in the composition of salt regulates water and acid-base balance, and also controls the contraction of the muscle corset and the transport of nerve impulses. With a lack of sodium in the body, lethargy, drowsiness appear, and muscle tone decreases. Chlorine in the composition of salt contributes to the regulation of the activity of the digestive system of the body. Accordingly, with its shortage, problems arise in the digestion of food and malfunctions in the intestines.

Caloric content for 100 grams	0 kcal
Proteins	0 g
Fats	0 g
Carbohydrates	0 g

Salt contains only minerals, so the calorie content of salt is 0 kcal. When organizing a daily diet, it is very important to maintain the concentration of salt and trace elements at the same level.

There is still debate about how much salt a person should consume daily. The World Health Organization recommends (2) 5 grams of salt per day for a healthy adult.

The benefits of salt

Ekaterina Fedortsova, practicing nutritionist and therapist helped to understand the beneficial properties of edible salt for the human body.

Since salt is not produced by the body on its own, and its presence occupies an important place in metabolic processes, it is necessary to consume this spice with food daily. Chlorine synthesizes hydrochloric acid in the stomach, and also forms other substances responsible for the process of fat breakdown. And sodium affects the absorption of nutrients by the large intestine, acting as an important element for maintaining blood plasma volume, water-alkaline balance, transmission of nerve impulses and the normal functioning of cells. Salt also takes part in metabolic processes at the cellular level.

The benefits of salt for women

Women may benefit from eating iodized salt to correct iodine deficiency (2). Iodized salt is especially needed in the diet of pregnant women to reduce the risk of having children with disorders caused by iodine deficiency. Lack of this mineral can lead to both malfunctioning of the thyroid gland in adults and mental development problems in children.

The benefits of salt for men

For healthy and strong men, another beneficial feature of sodium chloride is that it enhances the taste of foods, which contributes to greater pleasure from eating them and an increase in appetite.

The benefits of salt for children

For children, the benefit of eating table salt lies in its excellent antibacterial properties. This mineral is an active defender against various harmful bacteria.

Salt damage

Eating large amounts of salt adversely affects human health and can even be fatal. However, a lack of salt is just as dangerous as its excess.

Insufficient salt content in the daily diet can cause poor health and worsen a person’s health (3). According to Ekaterina Fedortsova, the lack of salt in the body stimulates such negative consequences as:

increase in the level of “bad” cholesterol;
increased risk of heart disease;
the occurrence of heart failure;
an increase in cell resistance to insulin, which can cause the formation of diabetes mellitus or hyperglycemia.

The balance of sodium in the human body is formed depending on the proper functioning of the kidneys. The lack of sodium in the body occurs with high physical exertion, which stimulate increased sweating, with diarrhea, vomiting, and also with certain diseases, such as Addison’s disease.

A diet high in salt also has (2) negative effects on the body. Since table salt is the main source of sodium, an excess of its consumption leads to such phenomena as:

increased blood pressure;
increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack, stroke;
fluid retention in the body, which is manifested by edema;
the risk of stomach cancer;
damage and inflammation of the gastric mucosa, which increases its vulnerability to carcinogens;
an increase in the number of pathogenic bacteria Helicobacter pylori, which can provoke the occurrence of stomach ulcers.

An excess of sodium increases the stagnation of a large volume of fluid in the body and leads to the loss of such magnesium, potassium and calcium, which can provoke various pathologies of the cardiovascular system and kidney disease.

In addition, recent studies show (4) that excess salt can have a negative effect on the immune system. Because of what, it is not recommended to eat a lot of salty foods for bacterial infections.

Dieticians advise reducing the daily amount of salt consumed to 5 grams, and also try not to eat foods with a large amount of this mineral.

The use of salt in medicine

In medicine, salt is most often used in the form of solutions for diluting drugs that help reduce fluid deprivation and detoxify the body. The saline solution also rinses the oral cavity and paranasal sinuses in the treatment of colds or sinusitis. And if you soak a bandage with a solution and apply it to a fresh cut or wound, then the antiseptic properties of salt will help to disinfect the site of injury. When constipation occurs, enemas with a solution of table salt are used as an effective method, which have a stimulating effect on the peristalsis of the large intestine.

Salt is also widely used in cosmetology, since sodium chloride has a beneficial effect on the condition of nails, hair and skin. Salt is the main ingredient in many scrubs, peels and anti-cellulite products. Baths and compresses based on saline solution have warming properties, relieve inflammation and improve blood circulation. Procedures based on sodium chloride regulate the skin-fat balance, cleanse the skin and give it greater elasticity.

To stabilize salt metabolism in the body, nutritionists often prescribe special diets. Some are designed to reduce the amount of sodium in the body and remove its excess, while others, on the contrary, serve to compensate for the lack of salt.

The use of salt in cooking

Edible salt has become so integrated into our daily meal that only its absence will be noticed today. To dilute the routine of this seasoning, it is enough to add spices, spices and herbs, which will give the dishes a new spicy aroma and subtle flavors. Today, flavored salt can be found on the shelf of any store, but seasoning prepared by yourself will turn out to be more interesting and natural. When preparing salt at home, you can adjust the composition and amount of ingredients – this will affect the sharpness and shades of taste.

Adyghe salt

Spices occupy a special place in the Adyghe cuisine. For many decades, it has firmly fit into the national menu

coarse salt	600 g
Garlic	1 head
Dried marjoram	1 Art. a spoon
dried thyme	1 Art. a spoon
Dried basil	1 Art. a spoon
Dried parsley	1 Art. a spoon
dried dill	1 Art. a spoon
Dried beans	1 Art. a spoon
Ground coriander	1 Art. a spoon
Ground black pepper	1 hours. Spoon
Ground paprika	1 hours. Spoon
Red ground hot pepper	1 / 4 h. Spoons

Peel the garlic and finely chop. Add salt and all seasonings. Stir the mixture very well so that all the salt crystals can soak in the garlic juice. Adyghe salt should turn out a little wet, but at the same time free-flowing.

dry gremolata

Gremolata is a well-known Italian spice whose traditional recipe includes garlic, parsley and lemon zest. The list of dishes that savory gremolata is usually served with is much wider than the list of its ingredients. It will enhance the taste of meat, fish, seafood, vegetable salads and even olive oil.

Salt	100 g
Lemon	1 piece.
Red hot pepper	1 piece.
Garlic	2-3 heads
Fresh mint	50 g
Fresh parsley	50 g

Rinse mint and parsley well, dry and finely chop with a knife. Peel the red hot pepper, also finely chop. Peel the heads of garlic from the husk, grate on a fine grater along with the lemon zest. Cover the surface of the dish or tray with paper towels and parchment, lay out all the prepared ingredients on it and mix by hand. Leave the mass in a dark and warm place for 4 days, stirring it occasionally. After that, pour the finished salt into a dry and airtight container. You can store seasoning for no more than 5 days.

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How to choose and store salt

When choosing salt, you should be guided by the main parameters that are presented on the package. Often decisive are the characteristics of the chemical composition, the date and place of production, the expiration date, the maximum moisture content and the size of the granules.

There are usually several varieties of salt in stores, such as extra, highest, first and second. Extra is pure white table salt, which has the finest grinding with a granule size of up to 0,8 mm. Salt of the highest grade has the same properties, but larger granules up to 1,3 mm in size. Salt of the first and second grades may have a more grayish tint and coarser grinding with granules up to 4 mm in size. This salt contains up to 3% of various additives and minerals. Since second grade salt is closest in chemical composition to natural salt, some experts consider it the most useful.

Store edible salt in dark, dry, cool places. The room temperature should not exceed 20°C, and humidity – 75%. From the factory packaging, salt should be poured into another container: glass, plastic, metal or wood. It is best to place the container in a kitchen cabinet, as far away from water as possible. To preserve the properties of salt, do not put it in the refrigerator or freezer. Salt should be stored in tightly closed containers to protect it from getting wet or absorbing odors.