S alt is the most popular spice in the world. And although it is essential in the kitchen, in recent years more and more people have asked themselves: is s alt he althy? And scientists warn that excess s alt in the diet can cause hypertension, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. What are the types of s alt and its properties, will Himalayan s alt, Kłodawa s alt, sea s alt or rock s alt be better for your he alth? How much should you s alt in order not to harm yourself?
Contents:
- S alt: properties
- S alt: is it he althy?
- S alt: types
- S alt: How to reduce s alt consumption?
S altstill in the 1980s was considered essential for maintaining good he alth and strength. It is still the most popular spice in the world. Most of us cannot imagine a sandwich, salad, soup or potato without a s alty addition. After all, the s alty taste is one of the four basic flavors. However, in recent years, there has been a lot of talk about the harmfulness of s alt. Its biggest opponents even call it "white garbage".
The amount of s alt in the diet allowed by the World He alth Organization (WHO) is 5 g - this means one level teaspoon. This is very little, considering that it is not only about the s alt that we season our dishes, but also about its daily consumption. Meanwhile, the s alt is hidden, among others. in highly processed foods (soups and powdered sauces), stock cubes, canned food, s alty cold cuts and sausages, yellow cheese, blue cheese, silage and snacks such as crisps, nuts or crackers.
Amount of s alt in the selected dishes:
Poles consume on average 3 times more s alt per day than WHO recommends - about 15 g.
Eating s alt within normal limits will not hurt he althy people. As in the case of gluten, the consumption of which should be particularly attentive by people with celiac disease, and not the entire population, exceeding the norm of s alt consumption will be dangerous especially for people with hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, kidney failure.
S alt: properties
S alt is the common name for a chemical compound - sodium chloride (NaCl). Used as a spice, it consists mainly of sodium and additional elements such as iodine.
A small amount of s alt is advisable and even necessary. Our ancestors used it primarilyeverything to emphasize the taste and preserve dishes. Today we have refrigerators and a we alth of other spices, and we do not need to use it in such quantities.
However, used in moderation will not hurt. Although it has no nutrients, it is needed to maintain the electrolyte balance in the body, it is also a component of cell and tissue fluids. It is essential for the proper functioning of the muscular and nervous systems. It is also recommended for people suffering from hypotension.
S alt: is it he althy?
Used within the normal limits - yes, but when used too much, it can cause he alth problems.
S alt retains water in the body, making the arteries too "full" and pressure build-up. It is already known that a significant reduction in the daily intake of sodium reduces blood pressure (systolic by 5-7 mm Hg, and diastolic by 3-5 mm Hg), the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases (by a quarter) and the risk of death due to these diseases by five times. diseases.
Its excess also overloads the kidneys. It is not the end. Scientists also suspect that s alt influences the formation of stomach cancer, type 2 diabetes, obesity, causes strokes and increases irritability of the nervous system. It also flushes calcium out of the body and can contribute to osteoporosis. Why? By excreting sodium from the body, the kidneys also excrete calcium.
S alt: types
S alt- the most popular s alt in Poland. Loses all trace elements during processing, sometimes enriched with iodine compounds.
Himalayan s alt- Touted as the he althiest s alt, however, research proves (more details in this article) that it is not much different from table s alt. However, it is definitely more expensive than it.
Rock s alt- unrefined, thus containing microelements, e.g. chrome, calcium, copper, manganese
Sea s alt- contains iodine of natural origin, as well as, among others, zinc, potassium, magnesium, iron, calcium, manganese, selenium
Table s alt (90% sodium chloride) is better replaced with sea or rock s alt (only 30-40% sodium chloride, the rest are macro- and microelements). However, if you are a conservative and accept only traditional table s alt, choose the one enriched with iodine.
S alt: How to reduce s alt consumption?
Write down your daily menu. You will be surprised how much s alt you take in a day. Knowing this will help you change your habit a bit. Read product labels. Some of them should contain the amount of sodium, e.g. in 100 g.
Unfortunately, stillmany manufacturers forget about it. Therefore, it is better to choose foods that are as least processed as possible. Prepare meals more often at home. Try to steam your fish and vegetables without adding s alt. Avoid fast food and s alty snacks. However, if you are tempted, do not overeat.
Choose rather smaller sets in bars. After such a s alty feast, stick to a low-sodium diet for the rest of the day. Pay attention to mineral water. The best is low-sodium, i.e. with up to 100 mg of sodium and 300 mg of chloride. Remember that sodium is also found in drugs, especially painkillers.
Here is the sodium content of selected dishes:
- frozen ready meals - approx. 750 mg
- slice of wholemeal bread - approx. 500 mg
- cereals - approx. 250 mg / cup
- vegetable juices - approx. 650 mg / cup
- canned vegetables - approx. 730 mg / cup of corn
- packaged sausage - approx. 600 mg / 2 slices of pork salami
- ready soups in a carton - approx. 1 g / cup
- marinades - about 1 g / 1 teaspoon of soy sauce
- spaghetti sauce in a jar - approx. 600 mg / half a cup
- s alted peanuts - approx. 250 mg / 30 g
- express noodle soups, the so-called Chinese - about 2.5 g / serving
- ketchup - approx. 180 mg / 1 teaspoon
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