One of the most essential nutrients for the body. Without salt, neither the muscles nor the nervous system work. And even the brain does not work. Dizziness occurs. Dehydration occurs. Cramps start, people faint and fall down. Are you scared? Do not panic. The purpose of telling all this is not to scare you. Rather, it is to explain that salt is very important to stay healthy.
The perception is that salt is not good for health. It increases blood pressure. Bones become weak. Hands and feet swell. And God knows what else happens when we eat salt. Despite all this, we eat salt every day, why? Is it for taste? Or is it something else? No matter what anyone says, without salt there is no taste in food, nor in life. It is not just about taste, it is about health. Our body contains about 250 grams of salt. In the form of minerals like sodium and potassium. Both of these are necessary for good health. But sodium is used the most in food.
what is the use of salt?
Sodium, full name is Sodium Chloride. Common salt sold in the market. It costs 20 to 25 rupees per kilo. One of the most essential nutrients for the body. Without salt, neither the muscles nor the nervous system work. And even the brain does not work. One starts feeling dizzy. Dehydration happens. Cramps start, people faint and fall down.
Are you scared? Don’t worry. The purpose of telling you all this is not to scare you. Rather, it is to explain that salt is very important for staying healthy. You know, eating less salt increases triglycerides. LDL becomes high. LDL means bad cholesterol. That too 3 to 6 percent. You can’t believe it, but this is true. The research which proved this included not just two or four but 12,000 people.
The matter does not end here. The nervous system gets current from salt. Whether it is regulating blood pressure or providing nutrition to the cells, salt is behind everything. 70 percent of headache cases are caused by a deficiency of salt. Salt means electrolytes. As soon as electrolytes decrease, weakness sets in. Irritability increases. Memory gets disturbed. BP starts falling. Sometimes a heart attack occurs.
more or less salt
Actually the matter of salt is a bit complicated. If you eat less, it is a problem, if you eat more, it is even more a problem. However, our body is engaged in balancing salt. Understand it like this. If you eat more salt, you will feel thirsty. If you feel thirsty, you will drink water. If you drink water, the salt will be balanced. That is, the body automatically balances the salt in the body through thirst.
Whereas, eating less salt does not cause the body to balance it on its own. Yes, problems like headache, dizziness and cramps can occur but hardly anyone understands that all this is happening due to lack of salt. Therefore, it is as important to know what can happen due to lack of salt as it is to know the dangers of eating too much salt.
How much salt is needed daily
How much salt should we eat every day? To keep the electrolyte balance right and for the organs to function properly, the daily limit of salt is 1500 to 2300 milligrams. This amounts to half to three-quarters of a teaspoon. If you have high blood pressure, kidney failure or osteoporosis, do not eat more than 1500 milligrams of salt.
Which salt is best?
There are different kinds of salts available in the market today. Free-flow table salt, sea salt and rock salt. All are similar in taste but have different benefits. Among these rock salt is the best for health. Apart from sodium, this pink coloured salt contains around 90 minerals like potassium, magnesium, iron, copper, calcium and zinc. It maintains healthy pH level in the cells. It does not allow muscle cramps. If you have cramps in your legs, dissolve one teaspoon of sendha salt in it and drink it and the cramps will disappear. Its high minerals help in maintaining blood sugar. It is used in Ayurvedic medicines. Even during fasts people eat only sendha salt.
After this comes sea salt. Apart from sodium, it contains minerals like potassium, calcium and iron but less than rock salt. Whichever of these two is easily available, use it in food. As for free flow table salt, its minerals get reduced due to excessive processing. Although iodine etc. is added separately, still it is not as healthy as rock salt and sea salt.
Benefits of eating the right amount of salt
Be it rock salt or sea salt, if you are consuming it in the right quantity, then you will definitely get these benefits. The first among them is a healthy and strong heart. The potassium present in salt prevents vascular calcification and prevents high BP, stroke and heart diseases. The body remains hydrated. Electrolytes remain balanced, which means there are no problems like muscle cramps, fatigue, irregular heartbeat and nausea.
The nervous system and brain work properly. The natural minerals in salt regulate the sleep hormone melatonin, which helps in getting good sleep. That means salt helps in waking up fresh in the morning.
And finally…
Overall, to live a good and healthy life, instead of avoiding salt, include the right amount of salt in your diet. Although every vegetable contains some salt, it is not necessary that it fulfills the daily need of salt. Due to heat, humidity, exercise and sports, a lot of salt of the body is lost in the form of sweat. In such a situation, there is a need to eat salt in the right amount. And this right amount is 1500 to 2300 mg per day. Yes, if you eat less or more salt than this, you may have health related problems.