"Do not put too much salt in your food. "

"Less salt is better to be healthy."

We heard this mostly said by our relatives, friends or from other people.

But why do we need salt?

Should we limit ourselves from consuming it?

Aside from its common purpose, which is for seasoning or to give flavors in our food, it is also a food preservative, as bacteria can’t thrive in the presence of a high amount of salt.

But do you know that salt is essential in our life?

Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride.

Sodium is essential for the nerve and muscle function and is involved in the regulation of fluids in the body. Our body uses salt to balance fluids, necessary for the health of the heart, liver, kidneys and to maintain healthy blood pressure.

Did you know?

The human body can't live without some sodium.

Yes! That's a fact.

Sodium is needed to transmit nerve impulses, contract and relax muscle fibers in our body.

Shall we all eat less of salt?

Some people definitely benefit from getting less salt. For others it won't make much of a difference on how salt affects the blood pressure and health depending on your genes, your age, and your medical conditions.

What happens when we consume not enough salt?

There may be risks if you consume too little sodium. If sodium levels fall in the blood, this affects brain activity. The person may feel sluggish and inactive. A person may experience muscle twitches, followed by seizures, a loss of consciousness, coma, and death.

How do you know if your not getting enough sodium?

A person with low levels of sodium may feel the following symptoms:

• weakness

• fatigue or low energy

• headache

• nausea

• vomiting

• muscle cramps or spasms

• confusion

• irritability

What happens if we consume too much salt?

Excess sodium intake have a range of effects which can be linked in some health problems, such as osteoporosis, kidney disease, and hypertension, or high blood pressure, which can lead to cardiovascular disease and stroke. If left untreated, it can be fatal.

The following are the signs which indicate too much salt intake:

• Frequent urination

• Persistent thirst.

• Swelling in strange places

• Frequent mild headaches.

• Craving for salty foods

How much salt we should have?

WHO recommends that adults should consume less than 5g of salt a day, that's around 1 teaspoon.

While children aged 1 to 3 years should eat no more than 2g salt a day (0.8g sodium)

To read more details about WHO's recommendation click here.

The Bottom line

Salt plays an important role in our body. It helps in maintaining our health. Too much or too little salt intake has various effects in our health. It is important to know when to reduce or increase our salt intake. We must know how much sodium we should have in a day to keep our body healthy.

I hope you have a good time reading this article and learn something new.

Please leave some honest comments in the comment section below.

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