Within the framework of the concept healthy eating We are accustomed to perceive salt, if not as “white poison,” then at least as a product, the amount of which in the diet can be minimized. But perhaps you ask yourself from time to time: can salt be good for you? And the answer will surprise you - yes.

Today, nutritionists are increasingly saying that a salt-free menu will not save you from problems, but, on the contrary, can aggravate them. Below are ten reasons why you need to eat salt regularly.

1. There is no evidence that salt causes hypertension. On the contrary, research shows that a diet low in sodium leads to health problems. One study in particular concluded that among people consuming less than 2,300 mg of salt per day (the recommended daily norm), mortality was higher than among people consuming 2300 mg of salt per day or more.

2. Salt controls sugar levels. And this happens by increasing the body's sensitivity to insulin. Thus, a low-sodium diet increases your insulin resistance, and sometimes leads to limiting your salt intake (compared to the amount you normally eat).

3. Salt is a natural antihistamine. Thus, a pinch of salt placed under the tongue can reduce an allergic reaction and even cope with an asthma attack (according to a study published in the book Your Body’s Many Cries for Water).

4. The body needs salt to maintain optimal stomach pH. Maintaining stomach acid at the proper level is, in turn, necessary for excellent digestion.

5. Salt reduces adrenaline surges. Adrenaline is a necessary and important stress hormone, but sometimes all it does is cause stress.

6. Salt improves sleep quality. It has anti-stress and anti-excitement properties due to its ability to suppress adrenaline hormones. This may explain the fact that many people on a low-sodium diet report sleep disturbances and unreasonable anxiety. Does your heart feel like it's going to jump out of your chest right now? Matt Stone, nutrition expert and author of Eat for Heat: The Metabolic Approach to Food and Drink, notes that a pinch of salt and sugar (or salt and honey, whichever you prefer) can help lower your adrenaline levels and instantly calm you down.

7. Adequate salt intake promotes a healthy (read: normal) weight. And at the same time - fast metabolism. Research on the topic has shown that increased salt intake leads to faster elimination of the hormone cortisol and, as a result, lower levels of cortisol in the blood. Uneven distribution or excess cortisol, in turn, means weight gain and stagnant metabolism.

8. Salt supports thyroid function. As you might guess, by reducing circulating stress hormones. For example, excess cortisol is harmful to the normal functioning of the thyroid gland, but salt gently and naturally reduces cortisol levels.

9. Salt maintains hormone balance. Nutrition and hormone researcher Ray Peat explains the correlation between salt and the amount of aldosterone (an adrenal hormone): “One of the things that happens when there is not enough sodium in the diet is an increase in aldosterone synthesis. Aldosterone causes you to lose less sodium in urine and sweat, but it does this at the expense of increased loss of potassium, magnesium, and possibly calcium."

10. Salt gives food flavor. Salt adds a satiety factor to any meal and makes eating truly enjoyable. Adequate salt in your menu allows you to enjoy quality without chasing quantity, encouraging mindful eating and weight management.

Which salt is better

Salt is only good for you if you choose the right type. Best option- unrefined salt, which is rich in microelements and does not contain additives.

Speaking about popular types of healthy salts, Real Salt experts in an interview with Empoweredsustenance note that pink Himalayan salt and Celtic sea salt are on the same level of usefulness. Despite the fact that some manufacturers claim that Himalayan salt contains up to 84 trace elements, you should not believe this. Any sea salt contains about 60 minerals, although the list may vary slightly from one type to another.

But most importantly, don't rely on fast food and processed foods. Cook at home with fresh ingredients and salt your own food to ensure the quality of your food.

Salt comes in different tastes, sizes, shapes, colors and degrees of salinity. It all really depends on where she comes from. It is impossible to cover all the many types of salt, but the editor of the “Food” section of The Village, Anna Maslovskaya, decided to look into the issue and classify the main ones.

Origin

Sea salt is extracted from sun-concentrated brine that forms in areas where salt water floods. It is scraped off, dried, and sometimes recrystallized. Another way to obtain sea salt is by freezing. Not evaporation of water, but placing sea water in the cold.

Sad salt is obtained in a similar way to sea salt: by evaporating water from underground salt springs or by evaporating water in salt marshes. In these places, salt water stagnates on the surface of the earth, but does not come from the sea, but from other sources.

Rock salt, also known as mineral salt, is mined in mines. It is formed due to the flow of saline sources or, for example, in the place of dried up seas. Until recently, along with boiled sea salt, mineral salt was the most popular in the world.

Salt, depending on the method of its extraction, is then either ground or sifted. Thus, they divide it by caliber: from small to large.

Fine table salt

It's table salt. As a rule, it is of stone or cage origin. The second option is considered the cleanest. It is obtained by repeated recrystallization of brine and, apart from salt, contains little in itself - white table salt has a purity of at least 97%. While stone can contain a significant amount of impurities that affect the taste. When sifting it, you can find microscopic pieces of clay and stones. In Russia, the largest places for producing table salt are Lake Baskunchak in the Astrakhan region and Lake Elton in the Volgograd region.

Table salt has the purest salty taste, this is both its advantage and disadvantage. The main advantage is that it allows you to accurately dose the amount during preparation. The downside is that its taste is flat and one-dimensional. Table salt is one of the cheapest types of salt, along with mineral salt.

Kosher salt

A special case of ordinary table salt. It differs in that the size of its granules is larger than that of ordinary salt, and the shape of the crystals is different. Not cubes, but granules, flat or pyramidal in shape, obtained through a special evaporation process. The shape makes it easier to feel the amount of salt with your fingers, which is why in America, where it is produced in large quantities, it has become an industry standard in professional kitchens. The taste is almost no different from ordinary table salt, but there is a nuance: it is never iodized.

Salt is called kosher because it is used for koshering meat, that is, rubbing the carcass to remove residual blood.

Rock salt

Iranian blue salt

Table edible rock salt, grind No. 1

This is a large family, most often the name of which refers to white table salt mined in a mine. For example, salt extracted from the Artyomovskoye deposit in Ukraine, the supply of which to Russia is now limited due to sanctions. As a rule, it is white, but sometimes has a slightly gray or yellowish tint. Salts with brighter impurities often acquire their own names. For example, black Himalayan salt, which will be discussed below. Rock salt is also used for technical purposes - for example, to salt a swimming pool or sprinkle a road.

Sea salt

Sea iodized salt from the Adriatic Sea

Hawaiian Sea Salt Black Lava

There are many types of it due to its origin. Since all seas have different chemical profiles, this is reflected in the taste and composition of the salt. Sometimes this salt is recrystallized to obtain pure table salt. Its value lies in the variety of tastes and the presence of additional impurities that enrich the taste.

Fleur de sel

Fleur de sel from Lake Reux

Swedish salt flakes

Flaked salt is highly valued by both chefs and ordinary consumers. Depending on its origin, it differs in shape, appearance, humidity and degree of salinity. Its traditional name is fleur de sel. As a rule, this is sea salt, the crystals of which grow on the edges of the salt baths, in the process of slow evaporation of water they become overgrown with beautiful growths, which, as a rule, are collected by hand at a certain stage of growth. That is, from the same source you can get both coarse salt and salt flakes.

Salt is mined in the form of flakes in different places in the world, but there are three most famous deposits: salt from the French island of Reux, Maldon salt from the south-east of England and salt mined from a large deposit in Portugal.

Maldon is a very famous fleur de sel salt, mined in the Maldon area of ​​Essex in south-east England since the late 19th century. It is correct to say “Maldon”, although “Maldon” has already taken root in Russia. Moldon salt is a separate type of salt, which differs from fleur de sel in that its crystals are larger, up to a centimeter. It is also slightly saltier than the classic fleur de sel. Being sea salt and having a shape in the form of flat crystals, it is delicate and creates a pleasant sensation, exploding on the tongue with salty sparkles. This makes Moldon salt a versatile finishing agent for dishes.

Black Himalayan salt

Pink Himalayan salt

Coarsely ground mineral salt, the color of which is due to the presence of impurities of potassium chloride and iron oxide. In total, salt contains about 5% of all kinds of impurities. It is used in hand mills to finish dishes, that is, not only for salting the dish, but also for decoration.

Pink Himalayan salt is mined in large blocks, which are then cut, in the Punjab region, mainly in the troughs of the Himalayas, in Pakistan and India. Salt blocks are even used for interior work.

Pink Hawaiian salt

Sedimentary sea salt that was first collected in Hawaii. Now its main production takes place in California. The bright pink-brown color of medium-sized salt crystals is given by clay inclusions. Expensive product with a slightly iron taste. According to some reports, it is considered especially useful. But what you can’t argue with is that it’s beautiful, which makes it ideal for serving dishes.

Interesting fact

In foreign literature, the term “pink salt” refers to a special product based on salt with the addition of sodium nitrite, used for the production of meat products.

Flavored salts

Black Thursday salt

There are many types of aromatic salts, and all of them are invented and made by man. Such salt can be of any origin, the main thing in it is the combination of two functions: salting a dish with its flavoring. To do this, additives are placed in the salt or the necessary manipulations are performed on the salt itself, for example, smoking. Additives can be anything: flowers, spices, herbs, berries and even wine.

Thursday salt stands apart on this list because it is the result of rather complex manipulations. Initially, this salt was ritual (like pink Hawaiian salt), but now it is more often used because of its unusual taste. This salt is prepared as follows: table salt is mixed in equal proportions with leaven grounds or rye bread soaked in water; they put it in the oven (sometimes burying it in ashes), oven, or heat it in a frying pan. Afterwards, the monolithic piece is split and pounded in a mortar.

Interesting fact

Charcoal salt is used in many culinary traditions, such as in Japan and Korea. Just like the Thursday one, it is made by human hands. A similar example from Korea is bamboo salt: mOrsk salt is literally baked in bamboo.

For many years in a row, doctors have been convincing us that salt is extremely harmful to health. But there is a serious problem: there is still no convincing evidence that eliminating salt from the diet will reduce the number of strokes or heart disease and extend people's lives. Moreover, some experts argue that giving up salt can do more harm than good.

The fight against salt is already underway at the state level. For example, the US Department of Health created the National Salt Reduction Project in 2008. More than 45 cities, states and influential national and international health organizations have joined the project, including the American Heart Association, the American Medical Association and the International League of Hypertension. In the UK and Finland, serious measures are being taken to limit salt: food manufacturers are required to write not only about the salt content of products, but also indicate its recommended amount. Our Roszdravnadzor did not stand aside: recently an order was issued to sharply limit the amount of salt in school food products. But the reaction was unexpected: the newspaper “Moskovsky Komsomolets” published an article “Having studied without salt,” the heroes of which were the parents of Moscow schoolchildren who smuggled salt and secretly smuggled salt shakers into the cafeteria. The children simply refused to eat unleavened cereals and cutlets and preferred to remain hungry. Or... dine on chips from a nearby stall. And not only children: teachers, too, as it turned out, prefer edible dishes to healthy ones. Yes, it is widely known that excess consumption of sodium chloride (that is, common table salt) leads to hypertension, heart attacks and strokes. And the goal of such large-scale projects is to prevent these diseases by reducing the salt content in the diet.

The plans are grandiose, if not for one contradiction: even in the medical community there is no unanimity on this matter.

A number of experts argue that the increase in blood pressure in people who abuse table salt is explained not so much by the presence of sodium in it, but by chloride. For example, many mineral waters contain a considerable amount of sodium, but even long-term use mineral water does not lead to increased blood pressure.

But at the same time, modern science does not yet have absolute evidence that healthy people will benefit from severe sodium restriction in their diet. And some experts insist that eating without salt can even harm your health. According to them, reducing salt in food to a minimum may lead to unintended consequences, and the various clinical studies conducted so far do not directly link the amount of salt consumed to cardiovascular disease.

There are also very practical reasons: salt is a cheap seasoning and a proven natural preservative. Food companies have their own reasons and benefits for using salt, especially in long-lasting products. If they have to find substitutes, it remains to be seen what impact they will have on our health. Suffice it to recall sugar substitutes, many of which - and this has been proven by scientific research - are toxic and dangerous to the kidneys and liver.

The story of the rise and fall of salt

People have been using salt in food for at least the last 10 thousand years - since man first salted his piece of meat. About 5 thousand years ago, the Chinese discovered that salted food lasts longer - now people had food reserves for the long and cold winter. Over time, salt became a value, an object of trade exchange. Thanks to salt, cities such as Venice and Oslo were built, and wars were even started because of it. The Romans salted vegetables and herbs, which is how the word salad appeared, and even the English salary came from the word salt.

Salt consumption reached its peak at the end of the 19th century, while it was still the main method of preserving food. And it began to decline with the spread of refrigerators at the beginning of the 20th century. However, by the middle of the century, the widespread use of processed food products, displacing freshly prepared food from our menus, led to the fact that salt consumption increased again.

Today we get 80% of the daily dose of salt not from a salt shaker, but from industrial products, semi-finished products and canned food. And Europeans on average, for example, consume about 8 to 15 g of salt per day (the WHO recommended limit is 4 to 5 g per day).

About a century ago, while studying patients with hypertension, French doctors first discovered that if patients consumed more than 10 g of salt per day, their blood pressure increased sharply, and if the amount of salt decreased, then the pressure returned to normal. Over time, the hypothesis about the connection between excess salt consumption and high blood pressure has been confirmed: excess salt consumption leads to fluid retention in the body to maintain water-salt balance. The more water in the body, the greater the volume of blood, and the more blood, the higher the pressure in the vessels. This explained the connection between the amount of salt a person consumes and the development of hypertension. In addition, it has long been established that high blood pressure increases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. Large volumes of blood circulating through the vessels stretch and weaken their walls, making the vessels vulnerable to damage. And this increases the risk of heart attack and death.

It is this connection - from salt consumption to hypertension, and then from hypertension to strokes and heart attacks - that is the main reason for declaring war on salt.

The variable effect of sodium

For people with high blood pressure (and this is about a third of the adult population of our country), reducing the amount of salt consumed to 4-5 g per day can actually lead to a decrease in pressure, albeit insignificantly: by 5 points in systolic and by 3-4 in diastolic (see below - “Blood pressure in numbers”). For example, after a “salt-free” week, blood pressure decreases from 145/90 to 140/87 mmHg - of course, such a change is not enough to bring blood pressure back to normal.

By minimizing your sodium intake, you trigger a number of processes in the body.

And for people with normal blood pressure, trying to reduce sodium intake by heroically eliminating salt from the diet will lead to a decrease in pressure by an average of 1-2 points. The blood pressure monitor may not even detect such a tiny change. Research shows that over time, periods of salt abstinence will have no effect on blood pressure changes at all. This is believed to be because the body is adjusting to low salt levels. So it turns out that eliminating salt from your diet affects your blood pressure levels in the long term even less than some simple changes you can make to your usual lifestyle. Eat whole grains 3 times a day and your systolic blood pressure will decrease by 6 points. Give up one sweet drink - systolic will decrease by 1.8 points, and diastolic by 1.1. Lose 3 extra kg and your blood pressure will decrease by 1.4 and 1.1 points, respectively.

Blood pressure in numbers
Systolic pressure is the top number of the blood pressure parameter, which shows the pressure in the arteries at the moment when the heart contracts and pushes blood into the vessels. Diastolic pressure - the bottom number, shows the minimum pressure in the arteries between heart beats. Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg), and is easy to measure if you use a digital blood pressure monitor (recent research, however, suggests that old-fashioned blood pressure monitors are more accurate). Here's what the indicators mean:
120/80 and below—Normal blood pressure
139/89 (130-139/80-89) - Prehypertension
159/99 (140-159/90-99) - First stage of hypertension (mild to moderate)
160+ 100+ and above - Second stage of hypertension (moderate to severe).

In addition, only about 50% of all hypertensive patients react to salt, that is, they are salt sensitive. This means that their blood pressure levels change markedly when they increase or decrease their salt intake. This salt sensitivity appears to be hereditary. This feature is more pronounced in overweight people and is more often observed in old age.

How to replace salt?

Food companies and caterers add more salt to foods and prepared meals than doctors recommend because it helps them solve several problems at once. First of all, it improves the taste: the heat treatment necessary to kill bacteria in fresh products often neutralizes the taste of the product itself. Salt turns out to be an indispensable taste catalyst here. In addition, salt moisturizes foods, improves their texture and prevents the growth of new bacteria. In bread baking, thanks to salt, the dough rises and also becomes elastic; in addition, salt allows the finished bread to retain air and not lose its shape.

Some hypertension experts are concerned that processed food manufacturers, if forced to reduce salt, will replace salt with flavor enhancers such as MSG or fats, or even come up with new types of substitutes to preserve the taste and texture of foods. Given how secret the recipes and formulas of their products are kept by manufacturing companies, it will likely be difficult or even impossible to identify a new ingredient, much less its effect on our health.

Minimum recommendations permissible norm salts vary from 0.5 to 5 g per day. But some experts - therapists and cardiologists - believe that there is no point in excluding salt from the diet or adhering to the lower limit of the recommended norm. For example, Danish researcher Neils Grodal, MD, argues that there is no evidence that there is a relationship between low salt intake and life expectancy. Moreover, he believes it is impossible for anyone to comply with the new recommendations at all, given that you will reach the acceptable limit by already eating a store-bought muffin (about 0.5 g of salt) or a cup of chicken noodle soup at a cafe (about 2 g salt). Dining at an inexpensive restaurant can raise your sodium levels for several days: a serving of salad and grilled chicken will cost you 2.7 g, and pasta with seafood will cost you 3.2 g. Ready-made salad dressings can contain up to 1 g per serving salt: ketchup - 0.8 g in 1 tablespoon, seafood sauce - 1 g in 1 tbsp. l., mayonnaise - 1.5 g per half glass.

Anti-salt people say: if we eliminated salt from our diet, we would be healthier and live longer. But recent research into sodium requirements (how much salt the body actually needs) contradicts this claim. The researchers hypothesized that as a result of evolution, a level of salt requirement was physiologically fixed that was sufficient to maintain the functioning of various systems of the human body.

Health strategy
There are many simple ways prevention of hypertension, but it is not at all necessary to focus on salt consumption.
If your blood pressure is normal, there is no need to go on a salt-free diet. Giving up salt will not have a noticeable effect. But physical activity, starting with morning warm-up, daily walking and ending with more tangible exercise, such as swimming and exercise, is the best prevention of cardiovascular diseases and hypertension. In addition, you need to control your cholesterol levels, and for this you need to follow the basic rules of a healthy diet: eat more fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meat and fish, as well as healthy vegetable fats, such as unrefined oils, olive, sunflower, corn, etc., and always low-fat dairy products.
If you have borderline or high blood pressure (see "Blood Pressure by the Numbers"), talk to your doctor. He will tell you what lifestyle changes, including reducing the amount of salt, will help bring it back to normal. Start by avoiding canned and processed foods before you start taking medications. Directly or indirectly, blood pressure is affected by factors such as high cholesterol, smoking, excess weight and stress, as well as a lack of potassium (the source of which is fruits and vegetables), alcohol abuse, and lack of physical activity. These are all risk factors that contribute to the development of hypertension. In addition, it is very important to monitor blood pressure and pulse - with the help of modern tonometers, which are now sold everywhere, it is easy to do this yourself.

Is it possible to live without salt?

The most compelling argument against strict dietary sodium restrictions, salt advocates say, is that there have never been comprehensive clinical studies showing how consuming a certain amount of sodium affects the risk of stroke, heart attack or death. Yes, it has been proven that lowering blood pressure also reduces the risk of developing CVD. But we have no idea whether significantly reducing our salt intake will save our hearts. The same goes for the opposite statement: it is not clear whether salt abuse leads to heart attacks and strokes.

By the way, a lack of salt in the diet is not so indifferent to our body: it provokes thirst, feeling and spasms in the muscles of the feet and calves - also a sign of a lack of salt (along with a lack of magnesium, calcium and vitamins E, A). Even symptoms such as weakness, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting indicate a slight salt deficiency.

Why do women crave salty foods during pregnancy? Yes, because the fetus takes from her body the salts it needs for its development.

True, salt is different: sea and rock salt mined in ecologically clean regions are rich in microelements valuable for the body. And ordinary table (purified) salt, which we use every day, does not contain microelements. It's just pure sodium chloride. Modern salt purification technology deprives it of everything valuable for health and life: iodine, magnesium, lithium, selenium, zinc, etc. In countries where salt is added to food, obtained in the traditional way - by evaporating from sea water in the sun (for example, in Spain, Venezuela, Japan), diseases such as cancer of the lymphatic system, heart attacks, premature atherosclerosis or senile dementia (dementia) are very rare. As you know, peoples who eat fresh seafood and use sea salt as a seasoning have better health and longer life expectancy.

So our body needs the “right” salt in moderation. But there are diseases for which salt intake is recommended to be minimized or even eliminated altogether - these are some kidney diseases, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, and cancer.

The oldest medicine

The ancient Roman scientist Pliny the Elder proclaimed that there are two most important things in the world - the Sun and salt, which healers have used for many centuries as medicine. And modern scientists argue that giving up salt is not harmless for health: it is obvious that reducing sodium intake triggers many different processes - both good and harmful. For example, low sodium levels have been found to increase cholesterol and triglyceride levels. And this is a serious risk of developing atherosclerosis. And a few more reasons in defense of salt.

• Salt is a vital element for people suffering from type 1 diabetes. It helps balance blood sugar levels, thereby reducing the need for insulin.
• Salt has antidepressant properties. This is what British scientists explain the addiction of most people to excessive consumption of salt in food and craving for salty snacks - chips, nuts, straws, etc.
• Salt is necessary to maintain levels of melatonin (hormones of happiness and pleasure) in the brain. When water cleanses the body of toxic waste, salt helps retain the required amount of fluid in the tissues. And avoid loss of essential amino acids such as tryptophan and tyrosine. And if there is a sufficient amount of moisture in the intercellular space, these amino acids are fully used for the production of serotonin and melatonin.
• Salt is necessary to regulate acidity in the intracellular environment, this is especially important for brain cells. That is why salt-free diets and the use of salts and minerals from the body increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease.
• Salt is absolutely necessary for proper digestion. But - the most important thing - you need to remember that quantity makes salt a medicine or a poison!

Many people are interested in the question of the benefits of salt. Indeed, today it is difficult to imagine a house that would not have this simple substance. Nowadays, salt is a very common product that gives dishes a more refined taste. However, in the early years it was a very expensive and desired gift, and in some countries it even replaced money.

According to scientists, a small amount of salt per day will have a positive effect on our health. However, the main thing is not to abuse it. By the way, the adult human body contains about two hundred to three hundred grams of salt. Sodium chloride affects water balance, is involved in the transport of substances, and also helps internal organs function. That is why in this article we will answer the question of how salt is useful, as well as what is its daily requirement. Read the information provided carefully and you will be armed.

What are the benefits of salt for the body?

Doctors insist that a person consume a small amount of salt daily, since this product does very important things in the body. important functions. Sodium chloride takes an active part in acid-base processes and also supports the functioning of the digestive system.

Thanks to it, the body produces amylase, which promotes the breakdown of carbohydrates and is also responsible for the production of gastric juice. In addition, chlorine-containing products can streamline the activity of the nervous system and ensure the normalization of fat metabolism.

In addition, salt regulates the water balance in the body and is responsible for the correct ratio of the production of alkalis and acids. Sodium chloride also conducts nerve impulses, which promotes muscle contractions.

Please note that if you completely abandon this product, serious disruptions will occur in your body. Digestive system stops functioning, you will constantly feel weak and drowsy. Headaches will attack you more and more often, and it will be more and more difficult to perform physical exercises.

Is it used in pharmacology?

Salt is also actively used in medicine. You've probably heard that almost all injectable drugs consist of saline solution. So, this medication is the most common sodium chloride solution.

Traditional medicine

In fact, sodium chloride is used quite often in many folk recipes. This remedy can have an effect on human body It’s simply an incredible influence, which is why it’s used for many ailments. Our ancestors established this.

Let's look at the main ways to use salt for folk purposes:

• Very often, a salt solution is used to treat colds. Using a chloride solution, rinse the nasal cavity and throat. This allows you to destroy harmful organisms, as well as eliminate inflammatory processes. In the presence of bronchial diseases, a good therapeutic effect can be achieved through salt inhalation.
• Many people are interested in the benefits of salt. Even doctors recommend using it in case of food poisoning. Using the prepared solution, you can remove toxic substances from the body, and at the same time saturate the body with the liquid it needs.
• The product is also used as a mouth rinse. Using a saline solution, you can relieve toothache, as well as eliminate inflammation in the gums. Doctors recommend rinsing your mouth with a chloride solution if you are unable to brush your teeth. This way you can destroy pathogenic microflora.
• The product can be used after insect bites. Salt can relieve the skin from burning and also relieve swelling.

This is not a complete list of how salt can be used. But in any case, if you have serious illnesses, be sure to go to the hospital. Only a doctor can advise you on the most optimal treatment method.

Use for cosmetic purposes

What are the benefits of salt? People are asking this question more and more often. After all, every day you can find more and more information that it is harmful to health, and therefore there is no need to consume it at all. However, this is a wrong opinion. Of course, you cannot abuse such a product, but you can and even need to use it in reasonable quantities.

Salt has also proven its worth in cosmetology. With its help you can prepare excellent facial scrubs, as well as various masks and tonics. Sodium chloride is able to perfectly cleanse the skin, eliminate inflammatory processes, and also whiten the skin. Salt has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects, and also fills the skin with the microelements it needs. By using the correct proportions, you can make your skin less oily and relieve any swelling that occurs. The main thing, as in any business, is not to abuse it.

What is the harm?

We figured out why table salt is useful. Now it’s worth finding out what its harm is. As mentioned above, salt is an extremely necessary element for the human body. However, its increased amount can lead to significant health problems. Namely:

• Excessive salt consumption can significantly increase blood pressure, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke.
• Also, abuse contributes to blockage of the ducts, so the liquid cannot leave the cells of the human body in a timely manner. This is what causes swelling.
• It is also worth considering that sodium chloride can remove calcium from the body.
• Do not forget that daily consumption of large amounts of salt has an extremely negative effect on kidney function. This can lead to various ailments of the excretory system.
• A very small amount of salt is excreted from the body per day. Everything else will accumulate in the tissues of your joints, which will soon lead to serious problems.

• In addition, excessive addition of salt to food will contribute to deterioration in performance taste buds. Therefore, you may soon stop feeling the taste of food altogether. Salty foods are certainly delicious, but try to enjoy foods without adding a lot of different seasonings to them. You will soon realize that they are beautiful in their own right.

Daily norm

In order not to worsen your health, it is very important to comply with the consumption standards of all food products. That is why it will be very relevant to find out how many grams of salt are in a teaspoon. Without a slide, one such spoon will contain about seven grams of white granular substance. With a slide, the amount will be about ten grams. The daily intake of salt for a person should not exceed a level teaspoon. According to statistics, almost all inhabitants of our planet do not adhere to such standards, consuming one and a half to two times more salt than our body needs.

The harm of a salt-free diet has been proven more than once by scientists from around the world. Standards have also been developed showing how many grams of salt a person should consume depending on his age. We recommend that you familiarize yourself with this information:

• Newborn babies are not recommended to consume salt at all. Buying mixtures for baby food, be sure to pay attention not only to the naturalness of their origin, but also to the absence of salt in their composition.
• Children aged one and a half to three years should not consume more than two grams of salt per day.
• But children under ten years old are prescribed about four grams of sodium chloride per day.
• The daily dosage should not exceed more than five grams of white matter.

Now you know how many grams of salt are in a teaspoon, and based on this you can calculate your daily dosage. To avoid overdosing on sodium chloride, doctors strongly encourage their patients to consume as much fresh, unprocessed foods as possible. Also try not to overindulge in restaurants and cafes, as these are the places where you will consume excessive amounts of salt, as well as other undesirable foods such as fats and sugar.

Maximum dosage

When you go shopping for salt, be sure to pay attention to the packaging. It should say “GOST food salt” on it. This is the product that will be most useful and safe for your body, since it is manufactured in accordance with state standards.

Scientists have conducted special scientific studies to determine what maximum quantity salt per day can be consumed by an adult. So, according to research results, the amount of this substance should not exceed 25 grams per day. In this case, all excess amount of product will be eliminated later from the body using the excretory system. Eating salt in such large quantities will harm your body. After all, all cells, tissues, and organs will simply be overflowing with sodium chloride. As you know, this element is capable of removing quite a large amount of calcium, iron, magnesium and phosphorus from the body. Over time, such losses will lead to very serious disorders and diseases.

Is it possible to reduce consumption?

Table salt (GOST R 51574-2018) is indeed a very important component of a healthy diet. But it will only be beneficial if you take it in minimal quantities. To do this, you need to figure out what measures you need to take in order to reduce your daily salt intake:

• Eat as many vegetables and fruits as possible daily. Such foods can be eaten without salt. They are delicious and at the same time saturate your body with useful macro- and microelements.
• Try to avoid unhealthy snacks such as chips, crackers, salted fish, pizza and French fries. Each of the listed dishes contains an incredible amount of salt and other substances that are not very beneficial for the body.

• If you are preparing vegetable-based dishes, try not to cook them until fully cooked. In this case, in order to enjoy the prepared dish, you will need much less salt.
• Try using a variety of spices instead of sodium chloride. They will be able to give the dish a refined and unusual taste, and at the same time you will significantly reduce your salt intake.
• Start exploring new dishes. Today you can find just a huge number of wonderful recipes that can be prepared with a minimum amount of salt. Such dishes will not only be very tasty, but also incredibly healthy.

Salt for weight loss

Many people wonder what it is useful for. On the Internet you can find information that sodium chloride is not recommended for people who are trying to lose weight. However, what about applying the salt externally in a bath? This procedure will contribute to very effective weight loss. Let's look at what exactly needs to be done.

To take such a bath you will need to use half a kilogram of salt. Before taking it, it is recommended to thoroughly cleanse the skin with a scrub. Take the required amount of salt and add a few drops to it essential oil. Citrus fruits are best as they help speed up metabolism and also strengthen the skin. Add salt to the bath and wait until it completely dissolves. You can use water at a temperature that is comfortable for you. Cold water will help to tone your body, but hot, on the contrary, will relax you quite well.

Experts recommend taking such a bath twice a week, spending fifteen minutes each time. In this case, the course of treatment should be about ten to fifteen procedures. The health benefits of salt in this case will be great if you do everything right. When you sit in the bath, make sure that the area near your heart is above the water. It is not recommended to eat an hour before and after the procedure. But right after your bath you can drink a cup of green tea. Rub your skin thoroughly with a terry towel and go to bed. During one such procedure, your body can lose about half a kilogram of weight.

Salt or sugar

Many people are interested in what is healthier: sugar or salt. In fact, it is difficult to imagine the life of a modern person without these white products, because they can add incredible taste to dishes. However, what is more useful?

Sugar is a quickly digestible carbohydrate that provides our body with the energy it needs. This product improves brain activity and also improves the functioning of the whole body. However, its excessive consumption, as well as salt, can lead to very bad consequences. Please note that sugar can increase the acidity of the oral microflora, and this promotes the development of bacteria that destroy tooth enamel and cause caries. In addition, the product has a negative effect on the functioning of the digestive and nervous systems. Due to its high calorie content, it leads to excess weight. In addition, an excess of glucose in the body provokes the development of a huge number of skin diseases and can lead to obesity and diabetes. Therefore, it is impossible to unequivocally answer the question of what is healthier: salt or sugar. Both substances will only be useful if they are not abused.

Let's summarize

This article discussed in detail the benefits and harms of table salt for the human body. It is very difficult for a modern person to do without substances that give food a brighter and more memorable taste. Today, salt is the most popular and sought-after seasoning. However, many people do not think about how much of this white substance they need to consume daily, and, without even noticing it, they increase the dosage. Or they go from one extreme to another, completely eliminating salt from their diet. However, this cannot be done. The average adult should consume about four to five grams of salt daily. This amount of substance will regulate the water balance and also improve the functioning of the digestive and nervous systems. The lack of salt will lead to disruptions in the functioning of the entire body.

We talked about the benefits of rock salt, so it’s up to you to decide whether you should completely give it up or whether you need to learn to comply with daily norms. However, according to doctors, sodium chloride should not be consumed if you have certain diseases, in particular pathologies of the excretory system.

Salt is used in folk medicine, as well as in cosmetology, and at the same time has truly unique properties. However, it is worth repeating once again that it is very important to observe moderation in everything.

Only you are responsible for your health, so teach yourself to eat right. In this case, you will be healthy, attractive and full of energy. Start taking care of yourself and you will notice how your body takes care of you. Take care of yourself and be healthy!

Table salt is one of the substances that the human body cannot do without. In ancient times, it was literally worth its weight in gold; its shortage even led to popular unrest. In the old days, salt was extremely expensive because its extraction was very labor-intensive.

We all know how respectful folk wisdom is for salt - how many sayings we have heard about it. And salted vegetables are practically our national dish.

However, with the light hand of Paul Bragg, salt was dubbed the “white death”, and this stereotype has been with us for more than 50 years. So where is the truth? Is salt good or bad? Let's figure it out.

Why do we need salt?

The importance of salt for humans is very great - almost everyone knows this. A person cannot do without salt, since it is table salt, the basis of which is sodium chloride, that restores impaired metabolism, acid-base balance in the body, maintains an optimal fluid level, including blood volume, preventing dehydration of the body. As you can see, the benefits of salt are obvious. But not everything is so simple...

What happens when there is not enough salt...

In recent decades, there has been persistent debate between supporters of salt and its opponents, who call salt “white death.”
However, it is known that if there is a lack of sodium chloride in the body (when consumed less than 0.5 g per day), loss of appetite, taste of food, stomach cramps, nausea, increased flatulence, decreased blood pressure, increased fatigue, dizziness, muscle weakness up to the appearance of seizures, memory impairment and decreased immunity, deterioration of skin and hair.

...And when there is a lot

However, with excessive consumption of salt, and salt is also found in food products, from vegetables and fruits to bread, mushrooms and various canned foods (especially a lot of salt in sauerkraut, pickled cucumbers, pickled herring), fluid retention occurs in the body.

The consequence of excess salt in the body is swelling of the face and legs, decreased kidney function, their overload, increased blood pressure (which is especially dangerous in hypertension grades 11-111), increased intracranial and intraocular pressure (which is especially dangerous in glaucoma, as it can lead to to blindness) - increased excitability of the nervous system, thirst, frequent urination, increased sweating.

How much salt can you eat?

According to WHO (World Health Organization), you can eat about 2-3 g per day without harm to health, which is less than a teaspoon. But modern man On average, he consumes 12-13 g of salt per day.

Who does salt harm?

Salt, or rather its excess, can harm people with kidney disease, gout, arterial hypertension, obesity and oncology, and women during menopause and postmenopause.

Let's consider the main statements about the benefits and harms of salt.

What are they accusing her of? But are all the accusations against salt justified? Let's list the main myths about the benefits and harms of salt.

People who eat a lot of salty foods are at risk of developing hypertension.

It is believed that the sodium contained in the salt can increase blood pressure. But whether salt provokes hypertension is a big question.
This disease develops with age. It often affects heavy smokers, people who abuse alcohol, those who are obese, and those who are constantly under stress. And, as American scientists recently found out, only 30-40% of those who love salty foods.

Still, you shouldn’t overuse salt. Excess sodium increases the excitability of the nervous system and reduces bone density, making them brittle (with age, this can lead to osteoporosis).
The heart and kidneys do not like salt - those who have chronic diseases of these organs should limit their consumption.

Salt is a drug, it is impossible to refuse it.

One of the most interesting studies on the effects of salt on the brain was published in 2008 by researchers from the University of Iowa. The authors believe that salt is one of many substances that become dangerous when a certain dose is exceeded. Rats deprived of salt. they felt irritated, but as soon as they were pampered with salty food again, they showed cheerfulness and good mood.

However, this does not mean that salt cannot be avoided. Scientists observed women and men who had to reduce their salt intake by half. The first weeks did not bring results.
And then slow but important changes began. The subjects did not stop loving salt and did not lose the ability to feel salty taste. On the contrary, the receptors in the mouth responsible for the perception of salt have become more sensitive.

But to enjoy food, much less salt was now required! After 12 weeks of such a diet, the experiment participants were allowed to salt their food again, but they began to consume only 20% of the usual amount of salt.

But in general, the transition from generously salted food to lightly salted food is oh so difficult - due to the blandness of the food. Perhaps that is why the hand is reaching out to substitutes. It is better to choose one of two options:

Or gradually limit yourself to salt, reducing its amount every day,
. or reduce the amount of salt at once, and eliminate the blandness by adding salty foods: garlic, horseradish, onions of all kinds, radish, parsley, dill, cranberry, pomegranate or orange juice.

Homemade food contains the most salt. We add salt to it all the time.

This seems logical. There is a salt shaker in every home; it stands in the center of the dining table; it is passed on to each other during meals and left in sight after dinner as a symbol of the future meal.
But how then can we explain the fact that women eat about a teaspoon of salt a day, and teenagers and men over forty eat two?

American researchers from the Monell Center gathered a group of 62 people - lovers of salty food - and gave them salt shakers, which they had to use at home for a week. Salt volumes were measured. Participants in the experiment were also asked to carefully record everything they would drink and eat. To improve the reliability of the reports, the researchers used salt with an isotopic tracer (tagged atom) that was easy to detect in urine. Regular tests showed the exact amount of salt consumed from salt shakers.

At the end of the week, scientists studied the data obtained. Sodium from natural sources accounted for just over 10% of the weekly total. And the share of salt shakers was... only 6%! Where does another 80-odd percent come from? From semi-finished products that the experiment participants bought in regular supermarkets! Manufacturers don’t just add salt to them, they literally pour bags of it into pizza, ketchup and sauces.

To really reduce the amount of salt in your diet, you will have to give up ready-made food. But it’s better not to throw away the salt shaker. If you prepare dishes without any salt at all, but add salt to the food at the table, much less salt will enter your body. After all, it goes directly to the taste buds, creating the impression that the food is much saltier than it actually is.

For the food industry, salt is a real treasure. It greatly increases the attractiveness of products.

That's true. Without it, cornflakes have a metallic taste, crackers seem unbaked, ham tastes like rubber. In bakeries, salt protects the huge, fast-running machines from clogging. It slows down the process of dough rising, and due to this, the ovens cope with production volumes. She fights rancid taste! It occurs as a result of the oxidation of fats in meat during the preparation of semi-finished products.

By the way, salt is not the only source of sodium in processed foods. Sodium citrate, sodium phosphate and sodium acid pyrophosphate make food look better, taste better and last longer.

Our body does not need salt. This is nothing more than a flavoring additive.

It is impossible to do without salt completely. Its components - sodium and chlorine - help maintain water balance in the body. Chlorine ions are necessary for the formation of hydrochloric acid in gastric juice, and sodium ions are irreplaceable for maintaining acid-base balance. They contribute to the emergence and conduction of electrical impulses in nerve cells, with their help glucose and amino acids enter the blood and tissues.

In addition, you will still eat salt, even if you give up processed foods and canned foods. Sodium is found in vegetables and greens. For example, one stalk of celery contains 35 mg of sodium, a baked potato contains 15 mg, and one bell pepper contains 2 mg.

Which salt to choose.

Sea water is one of the most useful types, it is obtained by evaporating sea water, which has a rich set of minerals: in addition to sodium chloride, it contains salts of potassium, calcium, magnesium, bromine, and it is also rich in iodine and contains about 50 other trace elements necessary to our body. Moreover, it is better to choose unrefined sea salt, since it will contain more microelements.

Rock salt is essentially the same sea salt, only not from modern, but from ancient seas, existing in sediments. It has a milder taste and is suitable for preparing first and second courses.

Table salt is produced from rock salt by evaporating it. It is much less useful for the body, since during the evaporation process all useful microelements are removed from it. Unfortunately, it also has the ability to retain water in the body, making it difficult to lose weight.

Cooking "Estra" is a purified salt that contains virtually nothing other than sodium chloride. This salt is most often filled into a salt shaker and used to add salt to prepared dishes.
It has a sharper taste.

This is the most “salty” type of salt, since it contains almost nothing except pure sodium chloride. All additional microelements (usually useful) are destroyed as a result of evaporation of water from it and subsequent cleaning with soda.

This is the least useful type of salt, including for weight loss, because “extra” salt promotes fluid retention in the body more than other salts.

Salt of the 1st and 2nd grade contains more trace elements, and it is more useful.

Iodized salt is obtained by artificially adding potassium iodide to pure table salt. It is recommended for diseases of the thyroid gland (hypothyroidism), but it is prohibited for people with hyperthyroidism. It has a limited shelf life and is not suitable for pickling or pickling vegetables (they soften). There is no additional value for weight loss.

Not everyone knows this, but the shelf life of such salt is usually limited to 9 months.

Black salt is a natural, unrefined salt. Rich in microelements: iodine, sulfur, iron, potassium, etc. With constant use, it acts as a mild laxative and slightly improves digestion. Due to the large amount of microelements, it retains less fluid in the body than other types of salt. Black salt is usually not in great demand due to its rather high price, firstly, and its unpleasant taste, secondly.

Pink Himalayan salt contains about 84 macro- and microelements and is extremely healthy. Everything is good except the price.

Treat with table salt...

With uncontrollable vomiting, toxicosis: dissolve 1 tsp. table salt (without a slide) in 0.5 liters of boiled water. Drink 1 tbsp. l. cool solution at short intervals.

For food poisoning: dissolve 2 tbsp. l. table salt in 1 liter of warm boiled water and let the victim drink 2-3 tbsp. this solution. As a rule, after 2 tbsp. the urge to vomit will begin, and after the third, the contents of the stomach will be expelled without difficulty.

For severe diarrhea: 2 tsp. Dissolve table salt in 1 liter of boiled water. Drink all liquids to replenish lost fluids and minerals to avoid dehydration.

For diarrhea: 2 tsp. dissolve salts in 100 ml of water (half a glass). Take two sips of this solution, repeat after 2 hours.

For sore throat, colds, tonsillitis: dissolve 1 tsp. salt in 1 tbsp. warm boiled water and gargle several times a day (the more often the better). You can add 1-2 drops of iodine.

For periodontal disease: Dip a damp toothbrush in fine salt and brush your teeth with it every morning.

For dry scalp eczema: Rub dry table salt into your scalp for 15 minutes.
Then rinse off the remaining salt with warm water. Do the procedures 2 times a week. The course of treatment is 3-4 weeks. During this treatment, refrain from using shampoo, hair dryer, hair styling products!

For a cold runny nose: Place some salt in a cotton bag and heat it on a radiator or in a frying pan. Apply hot to the wings of the nose. It is also useful to apply heated bags of salt to the soles of your feet.

For fungal infections of the feet: dissolve 1 tbsp. l. table salt in 1 glass of water. Wash your feet with saline solution daily.

For suppuration near the fingernail or toenail: dilute 2 tbsp. l. table salt in 1 glass of hot water. Dip your finger into the hot solution and hold for 20-25 minutes. Do the procedures 2 times a day.

For toenail fungus(onychomycosis): dissolve 1 tbsp. l. salt in 1 tbsp. water. Soak gauze in this solution and apply it to the sore nail, hold until the gauze dries completely. Do the procedures daily. The treatment is long-term.

If you are overweight: dissolve 500 g of salt in 0.5 volume of a bath with warm water, stir, then add the rest of the water. Take a bath at a temperature of 25-30°C for 15 minutes, an hour before bedtime, 2-3 times a week. The course of treatment is 8-10 baths.

We treat with sea salt.

For sore throat, chronic tonsillitis, sore throat: 1 tsp. Dissolve sea salt in 1 glass of warm water and use this solution to gargle several times a day.

For severe bruises, bruises, contusions: 2 tbsp. l. Dissolve sea salt in 1 glass of cool water. Soak a piece of clean napkin or bandage in the solution and apply to the affected area for 2-3 hours.

For vegetative-vascular dystonia, insomnia, neurasthenia: in the morning, rub with cool water with sea salt dissolved in it at the rate of 3 tbsp. l. sea ​​salt per 1 liter of water.

Baths with sea salt are useful for decreased immunity, metabolic disorders, hypothyroidism, diseases of the joints and spine (rheumatism, arthritis, arthrosis, osteochondrosis, gout), as well as for cellulite, allergic skin diseases (psoriasis, seborrhea, neurodermatitis, eczema, vitiligo , diathesis), increased nervousness, insomnia, stress, atherosclerosis.

Before taking a bath with sea salt, be sure to wash with soap.

Then take a bath of warm water (35-37°C) and add sea salt to it.

For a relaxing and cosmetic bath, 250-300 g of salt is enough. For therapeutic baths, the concentration should be increased to 500-1000 g of salt.

Do not rinse after salt baths clean water and do not rub the body, but simply blot the skin with a towel, since the beneficial substances of sea salt will still continue to work for 1.5-2 hours.

Baths with sea salt are contraindicated for benign and malignant tumors, grade 2-3 hypertension, arrhythmia, tachycardia, fungal and purulent skin diseases, exacerbation of infectious and other diseases, pregnancy.

Salt and cosmetics.

To strengthen nails: 2 tbsp. l. Dissolve sea salt in 0.5 liters of warm water. Make baths for your fingertips for 15-20 minutes. in a day.

Or: cut off the top of a juicy lemon with pulp, sprinkle the pulp with a small amount
sea ​​salt and dip your fingertips into the pulp for 10 minutes. Rinse off the lemon juice with water and pat dry with a towel. Do the procedures daily, for about a week.
In this case, you should not use decorative varnish.

For oily facial skin prone to acne: 1 tbsp. l. pour 2-3 tbsp of sea salt. spoons of water with baby soap dissolved in it (to make soapy water), apply the mixture to your face with light massaging movements, being careful not to injure the skin. Keep for 2 minutes, rinse with cool water. Repeat the procedures 2-3 times a week.

It is useful to wash your face in the morning with water and a small amount of sea salt (about 2 tsp per 0.5 liter of water).

Salt mask to accelerate hair growth.

1 tsp. Dissolve sea salt in 2 tbsp. l. water, then add 0.5 tbsp. warmed kefir and 1 beaten egg yolk. Gently apply the mixture to your hair and rub into your scalp, then wrap your head in a towel, hold for half an hour, and rinse with warm water.

Cleansing mask for skin.

Mix 1 tsp. baking soda and sea salt (ground in a coffee grinder). Moisten the problem areas of the skin with hot water, also moisten a cotton swab with water, dip it in the mixture and apply it to the problem areas of the skin, avoiding strong pressure on the skin. Keep the mixture for about 10-12 minutes. Then wash your face with cool water and apply moisturizer to your face. Do this mask once a week.

Mask for oily skin faces.

Mix fine sea salt and honey, apply the mixture to your face, keep for 15-18 minutes. Remove any remaining mixture with a cotton pad, then wash with cool water. The mask vitaminizes, cleanses the skin and tightens pores. Do it 2-3 times a week.

Salt and weight loss.

We have already said that many types of willpower are capable of retaining water in the body and this makes it difficult to lose weight.

Therefore, the so-called salt-free diets, in which salt consumption is sharply limited, have become widespread.

Indeed, in this way you can lose weight quite quickly by reducing the amount of water in the body - many people who are losing weight give up salt altogether. But with this radical method of losing weight, in addition to water, vital elements are also removed from the body, including sodium, chlorine, potassium, and magnesium. On a salt-free diet, you can quickly lose weight, in just a few days, but for a very short time, this weight will soon return back (well, if without weight gain) - because the fluid in the organs and tissues is quickly restored. Moreover, this imaginary weight loss can lead to a deficiency of useful microelements with all the ensuing troubles of metabolic disorders.

However, there really is a rational grain in all this. Those who want to lose weight should remember one more insidious property of salt: excessively salty snacks stimulate the appetite, and hence overeating, leading to excess weight, is an unpleasant burden on the entire body, primarily on the cardiovascular system and the musculoskeletal system.

It has long been noticed that after salty dishes we are drawn to fatty and sweet foods. That is why some restaurants cleverly serve salty snacks, so that after them the visitor will certainly order something “dense”, and then also confectionery.

If you are used to adding salt to your dishes during meals, try giving up salt altogether when cooking. And as flavoring additives for food or salad dressings, use fresh or dried herbs and spices. Pickles, marinades, corned beef and smoked meats should occupy the last place in your diet. For example, bouillon cubes on average contain about 60% salt per unit weight, smoked salmon - 5%, sauerkraut - 2%. And when using ready-made seasonings and sauces, you need to pay attention to the label, which indicates the salt content. So, for example, know that soy sauce is mixed with table salt, and it cannot be a substitute for it.

Thus, for salt, as for many other products and nutrients, there are golden rule: Everything is good in moderation. Then the benefits of salt are guaranteed to you.

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