Does the body need salt? Or can he do without it by eating foods in which salt is in its natural form? Then what about the fact that salt has always been on the table for a long time? In addition, it was once equated to gold. Then what is the white death salt or a component without which the vital activity of the organism is impossible?
Why do you need salt?
As you know from school, the chemical formula of table salt is NaCl , in other words, it is sodium chloride. This compound is found in all body fluids – blood, lymph, bile, gastric juice, saliva and tears.
It is known that the human body is 60–70% water. Without this liquid, life would be simply impossible. The retention of water in the cells of the human body is ensured by the presence of salt. If it were not for her, then the body would simply dry out.
Without salt, not a single biochemical process occurs in the body. Its content in the blood is 0.9%, and this concentration should not change. At the slightest change in it, metabolic disorders can occur, which can provoke the development of diseases.
Sodium is an essential macronutrient in the human body. It is present in bones, muscle and nerve tissues, and extracellular fluids. It is this element that is responsible for the water-salt balance in the cells. Thanks to him, cells receive nutrients, he also takes part in protein metabolism.
In addition, this element is necessary for the production of gastric juice and enzymes. Participates in the transmission of nerve impulses, maintenance of blood volume, contraction of muscle tissue.
It is noted that a person needs 4-6 grams of sodium daily. It is quite difficult to meet this need without salt. For example, to get a daily dose of sodium, you need to eat 10 tomatoes or eat almost a kilogram of seaweed daily.
Chlorine is also needed by the body. He takes part in the production of hydrochloric acid, which is the basis of gastric juice. With a lack of chlorine, activity malfunctions in the digestive system occur.
Both potassium and sodium are involved in water-salt metabolism, these elements normalize the water balance. Chlorine is present in the intercellular fluid, which ensures constant osmotic pressure. It also promotes the elimination of waste products from the body.
What is the danger of salt?
White death salt received this name for a reason. Its excessive use is not only not beneficial, but can also harm human health.
A useful property of salt is the ability to retain water, but this feature can also have the opposite effect. If the body accumulates a lot of salt, therefore, a lot of water. This puts a lot of stress on the organs, and in the first place, the kidneys and heart suffer from this. The latter has to pump a larger volume of blood, and the kidneys have to filter to remove excess fluid. As a result, swelling appears, blood (hypertension), intracranial (headache), intraocular (vision impairment) pressure increases.
Such an emergency mode of operation leads to kidney disease, and excess salt falls out into crystals that accumulate in the form of stones in the bladder.
With metabolic disorders, excess salt accumulates in the joints, causing the development of gout.
Salt or refuse salt?
According to experts, a healthy person needs salt. Only some people use it too much. The daily salt intake is 15 grams, however, this is provided that the body receives 10 grams from the foods that are consumed. Therefore, no more than 5 grams should be spent on salting food. These figures must be adhered to.
Nowadays, many people are addicted to a salt-free diet. From a medical point of view, this diet is recommended for people with certain kidney diseases. But as a rule, they resort to it not because of health, but in order to lose weight. Indeed, due to the abandonment of salt, a person’s weight decreases. And this happens only because fluid is excreted from the body, and fat is not burned. Unsalted dishes are so bland and tasteless that you still can’t eat a lot of them. Perhaps this contributes to weight loss.
For those who prefer to lose weight, giving up salt, you need to know that with a long stay on a salt-free diet, metabolic processes are disturbed, the body is dehydrated, and digestion is interrupted.
It should also be borne in mind that the need for salt increases in hot weather and with increased physical exertion. Therefore, you should not stick to a salt-free diet in the summer. At the same time, for the duration of the diet, it is necessary to give up sports.
It is not recommended to “sit” on a salt-free diet for more than two weeks, as it is dangerous to health. The chemical elements that make up salt are essential for the body. The salt contained in foods is not enough for the normal functioning of the body. The main thing is not to oversalt food, give up smoked meats and pickles, and this will be quite enough.