Salty truth

Did you know that the World Health Organization (WHO) has announced a new recommendation to reduce the amount of salt in our diet, as many people consume much more of it, often without even realizing it.

How much salt do we really need?
The human body requires small amounts of sodium (salt) to conduct nerve impulses, contract and relax muscles, and maintain the correct balance of water and minerals. For these vital functions, we need about 500 mg of sodium per day. By the way, the WHO recommended 5 grams of salt is an incomplete teaspoon: just below the edges. And coarse salt. Fine salt will take up less volume. Salt is found in almost all foods – even table water. “Pike” in 5 grams – taking into account all the consumed food.

Too much sodium in the diet leads to high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. It also causes calcium loss, which can lead to brittle bones (osteoporosis).

How to know if you are consuming a lot of salt
Swelling, which can include bloating, is one of the most common short-term effects of excessive salt intake, which has the ability to retain water in the body.

Body parts such as the face, arms, legs, and ankles are more likely to swell when there is too much sodium (salt) in the body. If you are more swollen than usual, see how much salt you ate the day before.

Foods high in sodium do not have to taste salty. Sandwiches, pizzas, bagels, and canned soups can contain a lot more salt than you might think.

High blood pressure
There are many reasons why high blood pressure can be, and one of them is too much sodium (salt). Too much of it can lead to fluid retention, which in turn will lead to high blood pressure.

You are very thirsty
If you are constantly thirsty (more than usual), this may be a sign that you have significantly increased your salt intake and suggests that the body is dehydrated.

By the way, did you know that:

The higher the grade of salt, the more harmful it is: it contains more sodium disturbing doctors (up to 99.7% NaCl in extra salt) and less potassium (5–10 times) and magnesium (5–25 times) needed by the body. Salt with a reduced sodium content reduces the sodium load by several times compared to regular salt. The proportion of potassium and magnesium turns out to be very beneficial for the heart. Iodized salt is not a marketer’s trick to boost prices.
Lack of iodine in the body leads to infertility, heart attack, stroke and dementia. The further the region is from the sea, the more acute the problem is. The fact is that there is more iodine in the water flowing from sources on the coast. There is also a lot of it in seafood. Clinical experience has shown that iodine deficiency is eliminated in every corner of the land, thanks to the use of iodized salt. For a healthy adult, the daily intake of iodine is 150 mcg. Suffering from a thyroid gland disease that produces iodine-containing hormone, you need to get iodine from external sources many times more. However, don’t go to extremes! Firstly, iodine can be obtained from marine fish and seafood, which contain up to 3000 μg of iodine per 100 g. In seaweed, up to 200 μg of the element. There is also quite a lot of it in such “land” products as persimmon and buckwheat. Secondly, iodine disappears during heat treatment both from products and from iodized salt. Therefore, salt the dish not while cooking, but before serving. Do not use iodized salt for pickling or pickling. Your cucumbers and cabbage will either taste bitter or ferment altogether. Modern technologies for iodizing salt make it very resistant to heat, you can even cook soup!

It is not at all necessary for the sake of health to cross out pickles from the menu.
Pickled cucumbers and pickled tomatoes, of course, cannot be called dietary dishes. However, rinsing the brine off before serving will reduce the sodium shock. Washing sauerkraut and salted mushrooms will all the more lead to the desired effect. They should be eaten at lunchtime, not at night. One or two things will be enough.

Alas, it is a myth that salt can be completely dispensed with. It is necessary for the normal course of biochemical reactions and metabolism, stabilization of the cell membrane. Violation of cellular balance leads to death. After all, salt is part of the blood – you know the taste of it! In addition, it is not a fact that a salt-free diet will save you extra pounds.
Unless, of course, you do not consider excess water, of which, as you know, the human body consists of 70%. Salt retains fluid in the body, regulating water balance. And fat accumulates due to an excess of calories consumed. …



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