Salt Is Not Really Good For You

Salt – it’s that white crystalline substance that we have on our dinner table and in every kitchen from here to Timbuktu that we use on our food while we eat and during the cooking process. We have it because it is able to add flavor to what otherwise would be bland and flavorless.

Not only does salt add flavor; it also helps preserve it. Preserving food using salt has been practiced for hundreds of years since salt was first used. Our body needs salt as well. We need it to kill of toxins, to help with our digestion and to give our immune system a boost. It also helps to ensure fluid balance, helps make sure nerve impulse transmission functions well and also helps ensure our muscles work well too.

In other words, salt does give our body something it needs. That means that salt is a good thing, right? Not necessarily so. While salt in the right amount can be a good thing, if you eat too much of it then it turns from something good to something that’s really, really bad for you. In fact, it can become life threatening.

Kidney Stones – These are deposits that form in the urinary tract. Made from deposits of calcium crystals they can be very painful and if left unattended they can really hurt your health. If you eat a lot of salty foods you increase the chances of getting kidney stones. That’s because you increase the amount of calcium in your bloodstream.

High Blood Pressure – Research has shown that there is a correlation between blood pressure and salt intake. In a study of children, they found that those who had less salt in their diets showed a significant reduction in blood pressure. Thus, it helps lower the risk of heart diseases. This mean that the more salt you take in the higher your blood pressure will be.

Heart Attack – The result of high blood pressure can lead to a heart attack. Because your blood pressure is high it is putting a lot of strain on the heart. At the same time, too much salt can reduce blood flow to the brain and heart causing further problems to your health.

We as a society shouldn’t be eating a lot of salt. A typical adult usually just needs a couple of grams a day to get by. That would be around a teaspoon of salt. Sadly, we eat more than that as we go about our day.

Even if you don’t add salt to the food you’re eating it is often already loaded with salt. This is true of foods that you buy in restaurants and fast food joints. It is also true of processed foods that you buy at the supermarket. Simply put, we eat a lot more salt than we actually know of and that can be a problem to our health. Get healthy salt like the iodized variant, or increase your seafood intake.

Eating less salt is a solution. It does take a while to get used to the taste of less salt. However, once you have acquired it using less salt won’t be an issue. If you are eating out request for less salt in the food that your order. Also, try and stay away from fast food. They may be good and fast but they are also loaded with salt.

We all seem to be addicted to salt. It will take a while before we get away from that addiction. If we want to live a longer andhealthier life then that is something we really need to look into. Salt isn’t necessarily what should be for dinner.