Almost 75% of our body is made up of water. However, this water is not in its pure form. It has salt dissolved in it that helps in a number of functions of the body. Salt present in the cells and tissues of our body helps in muscle contraction, proper conduction of nerve impulses and transport of nutrients into the cells.

So yes, we need salt but unfortunately we end up getting way above what our daily allowance should be.

Some Facts you Need to Know about Salt

– Sodium is a component of salt. One (1) teaspoon contains about 6 grams of salt. Six (6) grams of salt contains about 2400 mg of sodium

– The amount of sodium considered adequate to promote good health in adults is 1,500 mg per day – not to exceed 2,300 mg of sodium per day. No more than a teaspoon.

– Although salt is the major source of sodium in our food, sodium is also a component of other ingredients, such as sodium bicarbonate used in baking and monosodium glutamate used as a flavor enhancer.

– Too much sodium in the diet can lead to health problems. It is one of the risk factors that contribute towards high blood pressure (hypertension), which substantially increases the risk of developing which substantially increases the risk of developing heart disease or stroke.

– Sodium and chloride levels are comparatively low in all foods which have not been processed. However, salt has been used as a preservative and a flavoring agent for centuries.

– Widely cited figures from the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) lay about 77% of the sodium blame on processed and restaurant foods, with only 5%, 6% and 12% coming from cooking, table use and natural sources, respectively. Salt, quite frankly, is everywhere.

– In an analysis of more than 550 commercially prepared foods in 2005, CSPI found that even one dish could bump you near or over your daily recommendation, including: Swanson’s Hungry Man XXL dinners, 3,180 mg to 5,410 mg; and Denny’s Lumberjack Slam breakfast: 4,460 mg.

Salt and your Kidneys

Your kidneys regulate the amount of sodium kept in your body. When sodium levels are low, your kidneys conserve sodium. When levels are high, they excrete the excess amount in urine.

If your kidneys can’t eliminate enough sodium, the sodium starts to accumulate in your blood. Because sodium attracts and holds water, your blood volume increases. Increased blood volume, in turn, makes your heart work harder to move more blood through your blood vessels, increasing pressure in your arteries. Certain diseases such as congestive heart failure, cirrhosis and chronic kidney disease can lead to an inability to regulate sodium.

Tips for Reducing Sodium in Your Diet (Source Your Guide to Lowering High Blood Pressure)

• Buy Fresh, plain frozen or canned “with no salt added” vegetables
• Use fresh poultry, fish and lean meat, rather than canned processes types.
• Use herbs, spices and salt-free seasoning blends in cooking and at the table
• Cook rice, pasta and hot cereals without salt.  Cut back on instant and flavored rice, pasta, and cereal mixes, which usually have added salt.
• Choose “convenience” foods that are lower in sodium. Cut back on frozen dinners, pizza, packaged mixes, canned soups or broths, and salad dressings — these often have a lot of sodium
• Rinse canned foods, such as tuna, to remove some sodium
• When available, buy low- or reduced-sodium, or no-salt-added versions of foods.
• Next time you cook gumbo or jambalaya…skip adding any type of salt – there’s already plenty in it in the ingredients you are cooking with!!

Needing and wanting salt is an acquired taste.  If you salt your food, slowly start reducing how much salt you add when cooking or when food is served.  Eventually, you will not miss the taste of salt and you’ll be much better off for it.

Next time we discuss salt – we’ll have a look at what some say is healthier salt…Sea Salt.