Salt
is added to food to help preserve it for a longer period of time, salt also
helps in regulating the bacterial growth in the food, but it is said that too
much of salt in the diet is known to cause various health problems. With
increase in the amount of salt in the daily diet, the risk of high blood
pressure, stroke, obesity etc increases as a person grows older. It was often
told that too much salt is bad for health, but smaller amounts of salts in the
diet are not good for health either.
Salt
contains mineral sodium; this mineral is very helpful in regulating the body’s metabolism. This element helps the
cells retain water, it also helps in regulating the electrical impulses that
are cause in the nervous system of the body, sodium also regulates the
digestive juices produced in the digestive system, this helps the body from
eating up itself; and it also helps the body absorbing nutrients that the body
requires for performing its metabolic activities. Sodium is a vital element that keeps the
muscles from cramping up, and it also helps protect the body from seizures. Low
sodium levels in the body can cause water intoxication, this condition is also
known as hypothermia, symptoms include nausea, weakness and muscle cramps.
Sodium deficiency causes low blood pressure which may cause seizure and also
may lead to coma and in extreme cases death. Thus, it is important to check the
amount of salt one is consuming in their diet. An optimum amount of daily salt
intake would be one table spoon per day. Since
seasoning food with salt can lead to risk of consuming excess salt, it’s
recommended to consume food products that contain natural salt. Since the human
body doesn’t recognise artificial salt, food items that are rich in natural
salts should be included in the diet. These food items reduce the risk of
health problems caused due sodium deficiency.
Apart
from the salts that contain sodium it is also necessary to include salts that
contain elements such as iodine, phosphorus, chlorine, calcium and sulphur in
the diet, to help body perform its metabolic activities, these elements also
help in reducing future risks of stroke, obesity, hypothermia etc. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains should be
included in the daily diet as they contain these minerals and can help regulate
body salt level in a natural way. It is also necessary to use natural salts
such as sea salt, rock salt, black salt etc, to help regulate salt levels in
body for healthy living. Thus salt is also a necessary element that helps an
individual lead a healthy life. Too much or too little salt content in the body
may lead to various health issues, thus it is important to identify right amount
of salt requirements for the body and it should not be eliminated from daily
diet.