Salt. Benefits and harm to the human body

Salt is the most ancient food supplementused to enhance the flavor of food. In moderation, the product supports the normal functioning of the human body. It is useful for the nervous, digestive system, helps to normalize sleep and water balance.

However, salt can be harmful if consumed in excess. Especially careful should be pregnant women, people with hypertension, kidney pathologies, who are advised to limit the consumption of the product.

Types and composition of salt

Salt is a seasoning used in most dishes. The most common is table salt, but there are other varieties of the product that contain trace elements useful for the body.

Regardless of the type of salt, moderation is important when using it, otherwise it can be harmful to health.

Cookery

To obtain the product, most of the water is removed from the salt solution by boiling or evaporation. Then, using centrifuges, the remaining liquid is separated, obtaining a salt with 3% moisture, which is then additionally dried.

The product contains 97% sodium chloride and 3% of various additives (iodides, fluorides, carbonates) intended for the prevention of various pathologies.

The salt can be coarse or fine. The product of coarse grinding is characterized by a high content of minerals, while fine salt is devoid of them due to numerous treatments that ensure its attractive appearance.

Marine

This type of salt is obtained by evaporating sea water in special baths or in the sun. The purity of the water used will determine the purity of the final product. After evaporation, the salt is cleaned of impurities, dried, and the crystals are crushed to the required size.

The product differs in content:

• sodium and potassium, which accelerate metabolic processes;
• iodine, which regulates lipid and hormonal processes;
• calcium, which prevents the development of infections;
• manganese, which strengthens the immune system;
• zinc, necessary for the normal functioning of the reproductive system;
• iron that promotes the formation of new red blood cells;
• magnesium with anti-allergic properties.

Pink

Pink salt is environmentally friendly and natural, it is mined at the foot of the Himalayan mountains. Its crystals can be large or small, and the pink color of the product is given by calcium chloride and iron oxide.

The salt contains about 98% sodium chloride, it also differs in the content of polyhatite, fluorine, iodine and other trace elements in insignificant amounts.

Black

This type of salt is mined in the Kala Namak deposit. Large pieces of it are brown-black in color; when ground, the salt acquires a dirty pink tint and darkens when wet.

The composition of the product is dominated by:

• sodium chloride, which gives the product a salty taste;
• iron sulfide, which provides the color of the salt;
• sulfur compounds, due to which the product acquires a characteristic aroma and bitter taste.

Salt also contains other trace elements such as calcium, zinc, fluoride, iodine and selenium.

Why salt is useful for the body

Salt (benefits and harms to the body are explained by its composition) is involved in many life processes. Sodium ensures the normal functioning of the muscular and nervous systems, regulates water-salt metabolism, and supports the heart muscle.

With its deficiency, a person feels drowsiness and lethargy, muscles become weak, dizziness and nausea appear. Chlorine is responsible for digestion, stimulating the production of hydrochloric acid, promotes the breakdown of fats, participates in metabolic processes, and prevents dehydration.

Salt in moderation allows:

• normalize blood sugar levels;
• improve the transmission of impulses between neurons in the brain;
• increase vitality;
• prevent the development of putrefactive bacteria;
• protect cells from free radicals;
• remove toxic substances;
• normalize blood pressure;
• to establish the work of the digestive system.

Daily intake of salt

Salt (the benefits and harms to the body depend on its amount) should be consumed in moderation. The daily dose of the product for an adult is 15 g. At the same time, the amount of pure salt should not exceed 5 g per day. The rest 10 g people get with food - bread, cheese, meat, vegetables.

In some cases, the daily dose of the product may be increased. For example, for athletes who need salt to keep fit. Or in hot weather, when the loss of fluid by the body increases, with which salt is also excreted.

Harm of salt when consumed in excess

Excess salt is excreted in the urine. However, modern people consume a lot of processed food, and also add salt to food, consuming 10-20 g of the product daily.

At the same time, the body cannot cope with the excretion of salt, and it settles in the body, provoking problems and the development of various diseases.

Accumulation in the body

Exceeding the daily dose of salt leads to the fact that it accumulates in the body in the form of deposits. This increases the risk of kidney stones. Also, the accumulation of the product leads to insufficient receipt of mineral salts by tissues, muscles and bones. And this disrupts their work and worsens a person's well-being.

Harm to the cardiovascular system

Excessive salt affects the mechanisms that maintain optimal blood pressure. Over-salting food, a person feels the need to consume more fluid, and this can impair the work of the heart and blood vessels.

Those who suffer from hypertension should take extra care and reduce the amount of salt in the diet to a minimum. This will reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Addictive

Salt can be addictive. This seasoning enhances the flavor of the food. However, the taste buds become less sensitive to the product over time. Having got used to the taste, a person begins to salt food even more. The result is an excess of the daily dose of the product by about 5 times.

Water retention

1 g of sodium contained in salt delays 1 tbsp. water. The result is stagnation of lymph, visible and hidden edema appears, which interferes with the normal functioning of internal organs.

In addition, due to fluid retention, the load on the heart and blood vessels increases, and the pressure rises.

"Salt burn" of the body

"Salt burn" is a term that is often used by modern nutritionists. This condition occurs in a person who eats salty foods in excess and eventually loses a sense of proportion, considering the food unsalted or unsalted at all.

The use of salt for medicinal purposes. How salt is used in cosmetology

Salt (the benefits and harms to the body have been studied for many years) is a product that is successfully used to treat various pathologies. It is also used in cosmetology for skin care, hair improvement.

For the treatment of diseases

Salt helps to improve the condition of various diseases. For the purpose of therapy, it is used both internally and externally.

Treatment of pathologies with salt:

Disease	Treatment method
Osteochondrosis	For 14 days, it is recommended to apply a bandage to the affected area before going to bed, which is moistened with a 10% salt solution.
Colds, coughs, bronchitis	At the first sign of a cold, you need to do salt baths before bedtime. To do this, you need hot water (3 l) and 3 tbsp. l. salt and soda. The feet are immersed in the solution and kept until it cools down. Then they put on warm socks and go to bed. A head bandage with an 8 percent salt solution also helps to alleviate the condition. If you have a cough or a sore throat, a bandage is applied to the back and neck. For angina, it is recommended to gargle with a saline solution (for 200 ml of water - 0.5 tsp. l. salt).
Sinusitis	Use a 10% salt solution. After moistening the bandage with liquid, wring it out and apply it to cover the forehead, nose, and cheeks.
High blood pressure, headaches, runny nose	In such cases, it is recommended to wear a headband. In this case, an 8% salt solution is used. The bandage is held until the condition improves. Rinsing of the nose is also relieved of a runny nose (for 1 tbsp. water - 1 tsp l. salt). The procedure is carried out 3 times a day.
Mastopathy	A saline bandage is applied to the chest for 8 hours. The course of treatment is 14 days.
Varicose veins	In order to improve the condition of the limbs, socks are impregnated with a solution of salt (10%) and put on at night. This relieves swelling, helps to normalize the work of blood vessels.

For body

Cosmetologists recommend using sea salt for body care. It helps remove dead skin cells, softens the skin and improves its ability to absorb nutrients.

Body Scrub

To prepare the product, sea salt (0.5 tbsp.) Is mixed with essential oil (10 drops), olive oil is added until a homogeneous composition is obtained. The scrub is applied to moisturized skin once a week.

The skin on the feet, knees and elbows can be treated more frequently. The procedure ends with a bath or shower.

Peeling for hands and arms

You can use both sea and regular salt. A few drops of grape oil are added to it, the composition is mixed well. The mixture is used for rubbing the skin of the hands. The procedure is carried out until the skin turns slightly red, and a slight tingling is felt. In addition to softening the skin, this tool allows you to strengthen the nails and enhance their growth.

For neck skin

First, grease the neck with a small amount of warmed olive oil. After that, they take a handful of salt and rub the neck in a circular motion, moving from the collarbones to the chin. The skin should redden a little.

Then you need to make a hot compress. To do this, soak a napkin with warm milk, half diluted with water, apply it to the neck and hold it until it cools down.

For face

To soften, increase the elasticity and firmness of the skin, it is recommended to do salt washing. You will need 1 liter of boiled water, in which you need to dissolve 1 tsp. l. salt. With daily procedures, the skin is cleansed, the pores tighten.

If the skin is oily, there are blackheads, fine salt will help. You need to take a cotton swab, dip it in soapy water, then in salt and treat problem skin. This cleaning should be done 2-3 times a week.

Salt masks also help to improve the condition of the skin. You can take fatty cottage cheese (2 tbsp. l.), add cream and olive oil (1 tbsp. l.), a pinch of salt. The resulting composition is applied to the skin of the face and neck for a quarter of an hour, after which it is washed off with salted water.

Salt compresses help revitalize sagging, aging skin. First you need to apply a greasy cream to your face and neck. Then apply a terry towel moistened with saline solution (1 liter. boiling water - 2 tbsp. l. salt).

For legs

For the feet, it is recommended to do salt baths, which contribute to:

• elimination of edema;
• improving blood circulation;
• moisturizing the skin of the legs;
• disinfection;
• elimination of the feeling of heaviness, fatigue and tension in the legs.

Also, the procedure eliminates sweating and unpleasant foot odor, prevents the development of fungal infections.

You will need:

• eucalyptus oil - 5 drops;
• sea ​​salt - 4 tbsp l.

The ingredients are added to hot water, the feet are immersed in the solution for a quarter of an hour.

For disinfection, you can prepare a solution of soda and salt (3 tbsp. l.), dissolved in hot water. The procedure lasts 20 minutes, after which the feet are rinsed with clean water and smeared with cream. With a fungal infection of the feet, it is recommended to wash your feet with a salt solution before going to bed (1 tbsp. water - 1 tbsp. l. salt).

If the nails are damaged, then cotton pads moistened with the same solution are applied to them and kept until dry.

You will need half a lemon to soften the hardened skin on your heels. Sprinkle citrus generously with salt and rub the heels with it. After the procedure, the feet are rinsed and oiled.

Brushing your teeth with salt

Salt is also used to clean teeth. The procedure helps to strengthen the enamel and gums, relieves inflammation, and destroys bacteria.

The first procedure is carried out with your fingers, without a brush. It is necessary to place 1 tsp under the tongue. l. salt, wait for it to dissolve and rub your teeth and gums with your fingertips for 2 minutes, without undue effort. After that, rinse the mouth with clean water.

Once accustomed to the procedure, you can use a brush. For the treatment of teeth, a salt solution is prepared, which in consistency resembles a paste. Having dipped a brush into it, they brush their teeth. You can mix the product with regular paste.

The movements during cleaning should be vertical so as not to injure the enamel. Each site is treated for 10 seconds. Such a procedure cannot be carried out daily; it is necessary to alternate it with regular cleaning.

For hair and scalp

Due to its composition, the salt can be used to normalize blood circulation in the scalp and strengthen the hair roots. The product helps to keep hair fresh for longer, accelerates hair growth, prevents hair loss, relieves dandruff. It should be borne in mind that salt procedures are more suitable for those with oily hair.

The easiest way to use salt is in the form of a scrub.. To do this, the product is applied to wet hair, a light massage is done, and it is left on the head for 10 minutes. Then the hair is washed well with warm water.

With increased fat content of the scalp, prepare a remedy from 1 tsp. l. soda and a pinch of salt. With light massage movements, the composition is applied to the hair for 10 minutes, then washed off.

If the hair grows slowly and falls out, a mask will help, for which you need salt and mustard powder (1 tbsp. l.), 1 yolk. The ingredients are mixed and vegetable oil is added until the desired consistency is obtained. The mask is applied to the hair for 30 minutes, then washed off.

Salt and weight loss

For those who want to lose weight, the amount of salt in the diet should be limited, since its excess causes edema. In addition, this flavor enhancer causes overeating. You should stop eating salted nuts, chips, fast food, exclude semi-finished products from the menu. Don't forget about the hidden salt found in sausages, cheeses and other foods.

To speed up the process of losing weight, salt can be used externally in the form of baths. You will need 1.5 kg of the product, which must be dissolved in warm water. The procedure is carried out daily for 2 weeks. Then you can take a break for 1 month and repeat the course.

How to remove excess salt from the body?

Salt (the benefits and harms to the body should be taken into account by consumers), with an excess intake, can lead to malfunctions of various organs. First of all, the work of the kidneys, bladder, heart and blood vessels deteriorates. If you do not take action, then the excess of salt will provoke an increase in pressure, fluid retention in the body and other problems.

There are several ways to remove excess salt from the body. The easiest way is to increase the amount of water in the diet, which dissolves the excess of the product, contributing to its better excretion.

Potatoes will also help solve the problem. It is recommended to bake it in a peel or boil it without salt. Due to the high starch content, excess salt and various toxins are eliminated. Other products have the same properties. It is useful to use beets, seaweed, asparagus, green onions, and sour milk.

To normalize water-salt metabolism, it is also recommended to include in the menu:

• lentils;
• dried apricots;
• almond;
• raisin.

Moderate physical activity is also important to help eliminate excess fluid and salt.

How to choose salt?

Pre-packaged salt is supplied to store shelves - rock salt, iodized salt, sea salt, various exotic. For the production of the product, the quarry method or evaporation is usually used, and further processing allows you to vary its composition.

Therefore, exotic varieties are most often a marketing ploy. The mineral content in them is negligible compared to the amount present in the products.

Sea salt is believed to be healthier due to its high mineral content. It is recommended for people living in regions with iodine deficiency. You can also fill the deficiency of a trace element with the help of iodized salt.

When buying, it is recommended to give preference to coarse salt. According to doctors, it is more difficult to oversalt food with it, so there will be less harm from the product.

When using salt, you must observe the measure. A large amount of the product is harmful to the body. But a complete rejection of it will not bring any benefit. It is necessary to select the daily dose of salt on an individual basis, taking into account the characteristics of the organism and the presence of chronic pathologies. Some ready-to-eat and convenience foods contain hidden salt.

Salt video

Dr. Myasnikov on salt: