Not so long ago, people were given salt (Sodium) tablets supplementally to ensure the levels within the body were adequate, in more recent years there has been a rise in campaigns encouraging us to make an effort to dramatically decrease our levels of intake, and that it can be a ‘danger’ to our health.
So what led to this turn around, is salt really a danger, or is it in fact essential to our health and wellbeing?
Sodium is an electrolyte mineral, meaning that it is used to conduct electrical signals throughout the body. It is these electrical signals that initiate activity in our brain, nervous system, muscles and many organs. For example the beat of your heart is due to an electrical impulse.
As we witness in our environment, water follows salt, well the same phenomenon happens within the body. Having adequate sodium levels is essential to ensure our cells are correctly hydrated, sodium regulates our blood pressure and blood volume by ensuring there is enough fluid within our blood stream and your kidneys need the balance of sodium to be correct so that it can preform its filtering processes, to cleanse your blood and excrete waste via your urinary system.
So the truth of the matter is, that salt is in fact essential to our survival. But the quality and quantity of our intake in modern times, is the root of the issue.
· Salts to be avoided-
--The reason our salt intake has gone through the roof, is due to our increased consumption of packaged foods. Salt, alongside sugar and damaged fats, in packaged foods are well over the levels that our body needs. Begin to read labels, the amount of sodium within packaged foods should be around 400mg per 100grams. You will be alarmed to find how little on the shelves fits this category, especially foods marketed as ‘healthy’ such as many cereals and muesli bars.
--Refined salts, such as your table salt, are not your best option for maintaining sodium levels. These have often been bleached, the trace minerals removed, and have had anti-caking agents added
· Best forms of salt
--Sea salt and Himalayan salt are giving your body more, as they also contain trace minerals, in a balance which is hard to come by via other food sources. These minerals include calcium, potassium, magnesium, sulfur, zinc, and iron. If you worry about the pollution of the seas, then the Himalayan salts contain less of this.
--We only need about 1 teaspoon of salt per day total, avoid sprinkling it on top of meals and instead cook a small amount into meals as this helps to avoid ‘over salting’.
So what led to this turn around, is salt really a danger, or is it in fact essential to our health and wellbeing?
Sodium is an electrolyte mineral, meaning that it is used to conduct electrical signals throughout the body. It is these electrical signals that initiate activity in our brain, nervous system, muscles and many organs. For example the beat of your heart is due to an electrical impulse.
As we witness in our environment, water follows salt, well the same phenomenon happens within the body. Having adequate sodium levels is essential to ensure our cells are correctly hydrated, sodium regulates our blood pressure and blood volume by ensuring there is enough fluid within our blood stream and your kidneys need the balance of sodium to be correct so that it can preform its filtering processes, to cleanse your blood and excrete waste via your urinary system.
So the truth of the matter is, that salt is in fact essential to our survival. But the quality and quantity of our intake in modern times, is the root of the issue.
· Salts to be avoided-
--The reason our salt intake has gone through the roof, is due to our increased consumption of packaged foods. Salt, alongside sugar and damaged fats, in packaged foods are well over the levels that our body needs. Begin to read labels, the amount of sodium within packaged foods should be around 400mg per 100grams. You will be alarmed to find how little on the shelves fits this category, especially foods marketed as ‘healthy’ such as many cereals and muesli bars.
--Refined salts, such as your table salt, are not your best option for maintaining sodium levels. These have often been bleached, the trace minerals removed, and have had anti-caking agents added
· Best forms of salt
--Sea salt and Himalayan salt are giving your body more, as they also contain trace minerals, in a balance which is hard to come by via other food sources. These minerals include calcium, potassium, magnesium, sulfur, zinc, and iron. If you worry about the pollution of the seas, then the Himalayan salts contain less of this.
--We only need about 1 teaspoon of salt per day total, avoid sprinkling it on top of meals and instead cook a small amount into meals as this helps to avoid ‘over salting’.
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