Can salts cause harm? Salt is harmful to the circulatory system. Daily salt intake

Hello, dear readers! For a long time we have been warned about the dangers of salt. There was even such a concept as “white death”. Most often it is snow-white, but there are also pink, black and even blue. So what is salt actually - good or bad for the human body?

It is believed that high level Salt consumption causes a number of health problems. Including high blood pressure and heart disease. However, research since 1977 has failed to provide conclusive evidence to support this myth ( 1 ). Moreover, numerous scientific publications show that consuming too little salt can be harmful. In this article, I decided to take a closer look at this food additive and find out whether salt is harmful or beneficial in its impact on our health.

Salt is also called sodium chloride (NaCl). It consists of 40% sodium and 60% chloride. Salt is the most important dietary source of sodium, and the words “salt” and “sodium” are often used interchangeably. Some types of such dietary supplement may include some amount of zinc, calcium, iron and potassium.

The minerals in salt act as important electrolytes in the body. They help the body regulate fluid balance. Some sodium naturally found in most foods.

Historically, salt was used to preserve food. IN large quantities ah it can prevent the growth of bacteria that cause food poisoning. And of course it is added to food to improve the taste.

Salt is obtained in two main ways: extraction in salt mines and by evaporation of sea (or other mineral-rich) water. In fact, there are many types. Let's look at the most common ones.

Table salt- mined underground in deep mines. Therefore, it is well cleaned. Most of the impurities and trace elements are removed. The result is almost pure sodium chloride, 97% or more. In Russia, the most famous deposits are Kulush-Galynskoye, Baskunchakskoye (Astrakhan region), Sol-Iletskoye (Orenburg region, Iletsk district).

Most often, an element important for our thyroid gland – iodine – is added to a common food supplement.

Therefore, if you decide not to eat iodized table salt, make sure you replace it with some other products with high content Yoda. For example, fish, dairy, eggs and seaweed. For example, I don't like iodized salt. But I often include foods high in iodine.

Sea salt– produced by evaporation of water. As in the table version, the composition is mainly sodium chloride. However, depending on where it is collected and how it was processed, it contains some trace elements. Such “impurities” include zinc, potassium and iron.

The color of edible sea salt depends on the microelements. The more there are, the darker it is. By the way, they influence the taste differences between sodium chloride obtained in different parts of the planet. It is only because of ocean pollution that such a food additive may contain lead or other heavy metals. (2 )

Pink Himalayan salt – mined in Pakistan. It is mined in one of the largest mines in the world. It is also obtained in some quantities in other parts of our planet. This sodium chloride has pink color due to the presence of iron oxide (rust).

The composition includes some magnesium, calcium, iron and potassium. By the way, sodium is much less than in regular cooking water.

Many people prefer this salt because of its light flavor. Personally, I couldn't notice the difference. The main difference, in my opinion, is the color. If you sprinkle this salt on your dishes, it will give them an unusual and pleasant appearance.

Black salt is a type of Indian volcanic used in India, Pakistan and other Asian countries. "Black" salt is actually pinkish-gray in color due to the presence of iron and other minerals. Indian sodium chloride has a characteristic sulfuric taste that is often compared to the taste of hard-boiled egg yolks.

Harm from salt

For decades, health authorities have constantly told us that we need to cut the norm. They say that an adult's daily requirement is no more than 2,300 mg of sodium per day. And preferably, even less. ( 3 )

This is about one teaspoon or 6g of salt (salt is 40% sodium, so multiply by 2.5g sodium)

Yet 90% of people in the world eat much more than health organizations recommend. According to the results of some research work indicate that too much consumption increases arterial pressure. Thus increasing the risk of stroke and heart disease.

However, there are some serious doubts about the true benefits of sodium restriction. It's true that reducing your salt intake can lower your blood pressure. Especially for people who have medical disease, which is called salt-sensitive hypertension. ( 4 ) But, for healthy individuals, reducing salt intake is very ambiguous.

In 2013, a number of studies were conducted on sodium intake. It has been established that for persons with normal level blood pressure, limiting salt intake helps lower blood pressure:

• systolic blood pressure by only 2.42 mm Hg. Art.;
• diastolic blood pressure by only 1 mm Hg. Art. ( 5 )

This is if you normal pressure 130/75, then by limiting your consumption you will get 128/74 or lower. So don’t get too carried away with different ones.

I myself went on a diet for 2 weeks, where I had to eat unleavened foods. On such a diet, I sharply cut back on my daily caloric intake. So I still had to eat everything without spices. Brrr-rr-rr. As soon as I remember, I’ll shudder :) As a result, after 14 days I almost fainted right on the street. I already have low blood pressure. And by eliminating the salt, I reduced it even more. Therefore, I constantly felt a feeling of weakness.

Moreover, a body of research has found no evidence that limiting salt intake will reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes or death. ( 6 ) To summarize, I can say that limiting consumption leads to a slight decrease in blood pressure.

There is no convincing evidence linking reduced intake to a reduced risk of heart attacks, strokes or death

Low intake can be harmful

There is evidence that low-salt diets can be downright harmful. Negative consequences for health include:

1. Increased levels of “bad” cholesterol and triglycerides ( 7 ).
2. Heart disease: Some studies suggest that less than 3,000 mg of sodium per day is associated with increased risk death from heart disease. Even in people who are sick diabetes mellitus (8 )
3. Heart failure: One study found that limiting intake increased the risk of death for people with heart failure. The effect was stunning! The risk of mortality in individuals increases by 160% if this “flavor” is sharply reduced (9 ).
4. Insulin resistance: Some studies have shown that low-salt diets may increase insulin resistance ( 10 ).

What does high consumption lead to?

Some studies have linked high sodium chloride diets to an increased risk of stomach cancer ( 11 ).

But no one can still answer exactly how or why this happens. Several versions are offered:

• Bacterial Growth: High consumption of this dietary supplement may increase the growth of Helicobacter pylori. This bacterium leads to inflammation and stomach ulcers. This may increase the risk of stomach cancer ( 12 ).
• Stomach Damage: A diet high in sodium chloride can damage the stomach lining, thereby exposing it to carcinogens ( 13 ).

However, keep in mind that these are just observational guesses and nothing more. Therefore, the words “may” and “suppose” are written here. Nowadays, a lot of research is being carried out on cancer and research continues to this day. Some scientists are observing elephants, which are known to suffer little from malignant tumors. Others are studying breast milk and coffee beans. Therefore, research in this direction continues.

By the way, if you go to Asia, you will be offered soy sauce instead of salt. And there are them here a considerable amount– classic, with mushrooms, shrimp, fish flavor and other additives. There are huge sections dedicated to them in stores. Each makashnitsa contains bottles of sauce. And nothing, people breed and multiply. Yes, more than ours.

And in ancient times, salting and smoking meat was the only thing that saved our ancestors in cold winter or on long hikes.

Foods High in Sodium

IN modern diet We get a large share of this flavoring from finished products or semi-finished products. These include ready meals, sold in the store (bread, salads, main courses, chips, breakfast cereals). I'm not even talking about canned food, cheeses, ready-made sauces and sausages.

It turns out that about 75% of the flavoring additive comes to us already in ready-made food. We cannot influence the composition of the salad that is sold in the store.

Only 25% comes to us naturally We either add it to food during the cooking process or add salt.

So to eat or not to eat salt

For some diseases, it is indeed necessary to limit the consumption of this flavoring additive. But it is already necessary to adjust the nutrition program under the supervision of a doctor. However, if you are a healthy person, then there is no need to worry about reducing your intake. In this case, you can safely add salt during cooking or already in the finished dish in order to improve the taste.

As often happens in nutrition, optimal dose lies somewhere between the two extremes. Because in extremely large quantities, consumption can be harmful. But too little dosage can be just as bad for your health. This “golden mean” must be followed with any food product.

And what do you think? Write to me in the comments. And share this article with your friends on social networks. And I will continue to study the results of new health research and share with you. So see you again!

Popular debates about the harms and benefits of salt for human health have continued from ancient times to the present day. Some people prefer to eat less salt, while others like to add salt to everything. Some people call it “white death,” while others believe that it is necessary. So what is salt?

Sodium and chlorine enter the body mainly in the form table salt (sodium chloride). How beneficial or harmful are sodium and chlorine to human health?

What benefits does salt bring to the body?

The human body contains about 15 g of sodium, with a third of the sodium found in bones and the rest in extracellular fluids, nerve and muscle tissue.

Sodium plays an important role in intracellular and intertissue metabolism, regulation acid-base balance and osmotic pressure in cells, tissues and blood, promotes the accumulation of fluid in the body, activates digestive enzymes. We have already written in more detail about the role of man, so let’s return to salt.

Salt requirement in the body

Daily human need for this mineral matter— 4-6 g- satisfied by sodium contained in natural products. Sodium is best absorbed from vegetables and fruits, although they contain little of it. We also get sodium from the salt contained in bread and that which we use to add salt to food during cooking and during meals. 1 g of sodium is contained in 2.5 g of table salt, so 4-6 g of sodium constitute it daily dose, are contained in 10-15 g of table salt. Therefore, there is a lot of sodium in foods to which salt is added: sausages, cheese and feta cheese, salted and smoked fish, sauerkraut, canned olives. There is little sodium in vegetables, fruits and cereals. It turns out that sodium is not harmful, but a beneficial element.

Human tissue contains about 150-160 mg of chlorine. This element is involved in the regulation of osmotic pressure and water metabolism, in the formation of hydrochloric acid gastric juice.

The daily requirement of an adult for chlorine is 2-4 g. It most often enters the body in excess (just like sodium) in the form of sodium chloride and potassium chloride.

From food products Bread, meat and dairy products are especially rich in chlorine; fruits contain little chlorine. Chlorine doesn't seem to be harmful either.

Harm from salt

Meanwhile Excess salt in the body helps to retain large amounts of water and thereby loads the heart and kidneys with unnecessary work, causing swelling and headaches.

Thus, according to the results of one study, volunteers who consumed excess amounts of salt showed disappointing results in the incidence of cataracts. In addition, it was concluded that harmful influence salts on human vision. The situation is explained by the influence of salt on increasing pressure in the body, including the eye.

Excessive salt intake leads to fluid retention, edema and salt deposits. For salt-sensitive people (one in three), excess sodium intake can lead to high blood pressure, and reducing salt intake leads to a 20-30% reduction in blood pressure. Consuming foods high in salt may increase your risk of developing kidney, liver, and heart diseases. Clinical researches have proven that a diet with reduced content salt is effective means prevention of symptoms of toxemia, edema, proteinuria, decreased vision.

How to normalize salt intake

The main problem is that our the craving for salt often does not correspond to real needs. Often we consume much more salt than we need. Very often it enters the body in hidden form; ready-made meals are especially dangerous. For example, cheeses, sausages, etc. contain large amounts of salt. Any fast food (pizza, noodles instant cooking, hamburgers) contains a lot of salt and if consumed too often, our taste changes so much that normal food starts to seem fresh. As a result, we are rapidly gaining and exceeding the norm. Even a tablespoon of soy sauce, which many people use as an alternative to regular table salt, contains 3 grams of the same inorganic salt! And if, in addition to everything else, you are used to adding salt to any food - dipping onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, potatoes into a salt shaker? Realize that this has nothing to do with the real needs of the body. Try eating the same foods without salt, and, most likely, you will quickly get used to the new sensations and even love them. For example, steamed fish does not require any salting at all. And it’s good to use to add flavor to salads. lemon juice and spices.

Harm from limiting salt intake

The results of another study showed slightly different results. A group of American researchers found that limiting human consumption salt is also harmful for good health. This leads to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and also increases the likelihood of death from a sudden heart attack or stroke. The reason for this is an imbalance of sodium in the body, and it is sodium that ensures the normal functioning of the cell.

The same studies clearly indicate that complete failure salt consumption leads to impaired activity nerve cells , a decrease in the production of the hormone insulin, as well as an increase in the blood of another hormone - renin, which causes an increase in the risk of death from a heart attack.

The need for table salt increases with profuse sweating. Therefore, with significant physical activity, especially in the hot season, workers in hot shops, athletes walking or running long distances, daily consumption table salt should be increased to 20 g and even 25 g per day, taking into account, of course, the salt contained in the food. They also increase salt intake in cases of adrenal insufficiency, severe vomiting and diarrhea, with extensive burns.

Salt is perhaps one of the most popular seasonings. It can be found in the kitchen of almost every family. Many people cannot do without it and add it to every dish, thereby becoming more and more addicted to it. But the harm of salt lies not only in its excessive consumption, but also in its quality. Therefore, you can often hear that salt is “white death.” Let's sort it out this question in more detail.

Daily salt intake

There is a lot of debate on this topic. There are different opinions about how much salt a person is allowed to take per day.

Some say that 10-15 g of product is the norm, others say up to 30 g, especially if you live in a warm climate. Isn't it too much? We recommend watching the 2010 Russian documentary film “ The World History salt." The work talks about an artificially created shortage of this seasoning, after which people began to buy bags of it, so to speak in reserve. People were so brainwashed that they could imagine their diet without any product, but not without salt.

This phenomenon is explained quite simply. It has long been proven that salt is addictive, increases appetite, and affects a person’s condition and mood. Like any drug, it creates a certain comfortable and calm feeling in the body. After eating salty food, you feel satisfied and your mood lifts. Getting rid of the habit of eating everything with salt can be equated to getting rid of smoking.

As a result, the following was noted in the film “The World History of Salt” daily salt intake is 3-5 g. This is approximately 1 tsp.

Lethal dose of salt 3 g per 1 kg of human weight.

Folk singer Nadezhda Babkina took part in the filming of the film. She shared her story of giving up salt. Previously, the artist was very fond of adding salt to her food, but after she gave up the seasoning, her health began to improve. In addition, she began to look much better.

Why is this so?

Harm of table salt

From use large quantity product:

• blood circulation is impaired,
• the walls of blood vessels become fragile,
• arise serious illnesses hearts,
• blood pressure increases,
• Calcium is washed out
• teeth deteriorate
• the bone skeleton becomes weaker,
• arthrosis appears,
• cataracts develop
• digestion worsens,
• gastritis and stomach ulcers appear,
• metabolism is disrupted,
• fluid is retained in the body,
• obesity, weight gain occurs,
• I want to drink a lot of water,
• excessive appetite appears,
• kidney function becomes difficult,
• swelling occurs,
• headaches appear
• the nervous system is excited,
• thought processes become dull,
• tissues become dehydrated
• the aging process accelerates,
• the condition of the skin and hair worsens.

The use of table salt by humans is not justified, since it does not contain beneficial and necessary elements for the body. It does not contain vitamins and is not digestible.

Provided there is no kidney disease and of cardio-vascular system, if a person eats 12 g of salt per day, and 1 liter of urine is excreted, then excess salt in the amount of 3 g begins to accumulate in the body. Can you imagine what happens when the amount of seasoning is much larger? Due to excessive consumption of salty foods, “stagnation” occurs in the blood vessels, which in turn leads to disruption of blood circulation and the normal functioning of the body as a whole. The most common symptoms are edema and serious heart disease.

We repeat that we're talking about O healthy person! When a person suffers from tuberculosis, only 2 g of salt is excreted in sweat. The use of this “product” becomes deadly.

We present to your attention a table of salt content in common foods.

To get rid of diseases of the lungs, heart, blood vessels, kidneys, and liver, you must completely eliminate table salt from your diet. Otherwise, treatment is pointless and recovery is temporary.

For most animals, salt is a real poison. This primarily concerns poultry and pigs.

What does table salt contain?

As mentioned above, the danger of salt lies not only in its large use, but also as a seasoning.

Let's start with the fact that it is mined in mines and therefore carefully purified. Before it reaches your table, the white seasoning undergoes harsh chemical treatment. During production it is subjected to high temperatures, as a result of which everything is destroyed useful minerals. For example, instead of natural iodine, which is destroyed during processing, potassium iodide is included in the product.

For several years now people have been adding salt to nutritional supplements, which help to “whiten” it, maintain the necessary consistency, viscosity and “freshness”. All of them are poisonous to humans. In many countries, these food components are prohibited, but not in Russia.

E-535 (sodium ferrocyanide) - food emulsifier containing toxic compounds. The harmfulness of the anti-caking agent is already indicated by its production method. E-535 is obtained by purifying and recycling gas-containing mass previously used at gas plants. As a rule, it has a characteristic yellow color.

E-536 (potassium ferrocyanide) very toxic. This additive is so dangerous that it is banned in several countries. In Russia, it is allowed to add it to salt in a volume of 25 mg, but even in this dose it is harmful to health. Once ingested, E-536 causes serious poisoning of the entire body.

E-554 (sodium aluminum silicate) various "standards organizations" have recognized this additive not harmful to the body, which is why it is included in many food products, including table salt. However, more conscientious scientists have found that E-554 disrupts the functioning of the liver and kidneys, and puts additional stress on the pancreas.

How to get used to eating without salt

You shouldn't give up salt completely. It is a necessary component for the healthy functioning of the human body. She is primarily responsible for water exchange And nervous system. « Healthy salt»contain fruits, vegetables and herbs. They are its most harmless sources. That is why herbal products were not presented in the table above.

It is worth completely eliminating table salt from your diet. Remember once and for all, it has absolutely no benefit.

Salt is highly addictive, but oddly enough, you can get rid of the addiction quite quickly. At the beginning of throwing this " bad habit“You will experience withdrawal symptoms for about 7 days, all food will seem tasteless and bland. But believe me, after just one week you will feel better. The main thing is to overcome yourself. You will begin to feel noticeably better, the swelling will go away. You will finally know the true taste of food. :)

It is necessary to drink a lot of water, as it is a good solvent and removes excess salt from the body.

How to replace salt

Of course, everything is individual and many people will find it difficult to stop eating salty foods. It is recommended to at least replace table salt with rock (natural) salt, since it does not contain harmful food additives. Rock salt has a grayish tint. Try to find a good supplier of these products to avoid counterfeits. But again, stick to your daily allowance!

also in familiar dishes instead of salt, you can include orange, pomegranate, lemon and Apple juice, onion, radish, garlic, vegetable oils, Apple vinegar, as well as various herbs (basil, ginger, cilantro, parsley, rosemary, celery, dill, thyme, sage).

Video How to replace salt on a raw food diet and more

The amount of salt consumed per day remains controversial issue and to this day. Always listen to your body. If you have problems with the heart, liver, lungs, and you often experience edema, then you should think about the foods in your diet. How much salt to include in your food is up to you...

Be healthy!

Film The World History of Salt

Salt is sodium chloride. Salt is involved in almost all processes in the body. Salt is involved in the production of gastric juice. Contraction of muscle fibers.

Lack of salt in the diet can lead to depression, disorders digestive processes, problems in the cardiovascular system, muscle spasms.

How much salt to use

Our body's daily need for salt ranges from 4 to 6 grams. This is about a teaspoon of salt. Most often, we eat about 9 grams of salt per day. Naturally, the surplus accumulates in various organs and tissues of our body and prevent it from functioning normally.

The lethal dose is 3 grams of salt per 1 kg of weight.

It is not recommended to give up salt completely. Lack of salt in the diet leads to a decrease in the activity of nerve cells. Decreased production of the hormone insulin. This also entails an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Harm of salt to the digestive system

Salt irritates the mucous membranes of the stomach, which can lead to gastritis and stomach ulcers.

Salt as a cause of cataracts

Australian scientists have proven that there is a connection between excess salt in the body and the development of cataracts. Cataract is clouding of the eye crystal. Salt also increases blood pressure, which affects eye function. About 3,000 people took part in the study.

Harm of salt to the circulatory system

Excess salt in the food we eat increases water consumption in the body. Which in turn puts more strain on the heart vascular system and promotes fat formation.

The body removes salt naturally from the skin and through sweat. If excess salt accumulates in the body, it begins to be deposited on the walls of blood vessels, which makes them fragile.

A large number of excess salt in the body promotes the development of atherosclerosis. With this disease, the walls of blood vessels become uneven and increase in size. This leads to the formation of atherosclerotic plaques. Which in turn constrict the blood vessels, which leads to insufficient blood supply to the heart.

Harm of salt to the nervous system

In atherosclerosis of cerebral vessels, very Great chance stroke. A stroke is very dangerous and can lead to death. It occurs due to severe blockage of the blood vessels of the brain with blood clots (broken pieces of blood vessels).

Harm of salt when losing weight

Salt is a natural flavor enhancer and appetite stimulant. This is why people who are obese or simply want to lose weight. You should limit your salt intake. Salt also retains fluid in the body, which in turn leads to weight gain.

Salt is harmful to joints

Gradually, salt is deposited in the joints. It's possible for a long time don't notice. But over time, the joints become less flexible. This leads to joint pain. They begin to respond to weather changes. All this gets worse with age.

Very often due to a large amount of salt deposits. The joints begin to swell. This happens because the body wants to get rid of excess salt and tries to dissolve it with liquid.

Which salt is healthier?

There are several types of salt on sale in our country.

Rock salt is a natural product that is extracted naturally.

Table salt is processed, bleached rock salt in crystals.

Extra salt is the purest salt. Only sodium chloride and nothing else useful microelements. The least healthy salt.

Iodized salt is table salt with the addition of iodine-containing salts. Useful in the prevention of thyroid diseases.

Sea salt is the healthiest of all salts. If the technology is followed, it contains many useful microelements.

Salt content in various foods

Most salt is found in products where it is used as a preservative ( salty fish, meat, canned vegetables, etc.). Great amount salt is found in various beer snacks (pretzels, salty crackers, chips, etc.). There is also a lot of salt in semi-finished products and sausages.

Below is the average salt content in raw foods nutrition in milligrams per 100 grams.

There are many opinions about the amount of salt consumed per day. It is believed that the body is able to remove all excess salt. And it does not cause any harm to the body. But the majority is still inclined to limit salt intake. How much salt to use is up to you.

If you are wondering whether salt is harmful, then your fears are not in vain. Scientific research salt has been proven to cause irreparable harm to the human body, if used carelessly. Harm from salt so great and terrible that only she can cause the death of a person! In this article you will learn the whole terrible and frank truth about this simple flavor enhancer and preservative.

Sometimes people don’t even think about the fact that regular table salt is found in almost all foods. daily use. And by consuming these products every day, people cause irreparable damage to their bodies. Let's figure it out why and how is salt harmful?.

Harm #1
Salt has the properties of retaining fluid throughout the body and in particular in the blood vessels. Thanks to this, our heart and blood vessels work with increased load. In people who do not limit its consumption, blood pressure is almost always elevated.

Harm #2
It literally permeates all our vessels and makes them very fragile and brittle. Our blood vessels cannot freely expand and contract when they need to. As a consequence of all this, people who consume table salt often experience heart attacks and strokes due to a simple rupture of a vessel and hemorrhage in the brain, heart and other vital important organs. Heart attacks and strokes can easily lead a person to partial paralysis or even death. And this is another reason why it is harmful to use even in small quantities.

So what should you do to live? healthy life? It is necessary to give up excessive salt consumption forever!

1. First of all, stop sprinkling food from the salt shaker and ruthlessly destroy all stocks of this harmful white powder along with the salt shaker in your home.
2. Next, stop buying all products that list salt on the label.

List harmful products with salt, which you should give up for the sake of your health and life: bread, pies, everything flour products, hard cheeses, sauces, ketchups, all canned goods, all food fast food, and so on.

Also keep in mind that this harmful flavor enhancer can be disguised under other names. Let's remember our school chemistry lessons, where everyone at least once saw the formula for salt - Sodium Chloride. It is the sodium in the composition table salt is the main pest for our cardiovascular system. Therefore, it is important not only to give up salt as such, but also to exclude from your diet all foods that contain the word “sodium”. Monosodium glutamate, sodium inosinate, sodium carbonate, sodium caseinate, sodium nitrite, sodium lactate, sodium benzoate, and all similar ones with the word "sodium".

Consume healthy foods containing potassium and magnesium. They are a sodium antagonist. That is, in other words, they actively remove excess salt from our body.

Healthy foods for our body containing potassium and magnesium: rice, whole grain bran, dried apricots, beans, nuts, not roasted sunflower seeds(especially pumpkin and flax), cashews, seaweed, mustard.

The harm of salt has been scientifically proven. But salt still has benefits. It is enough to consume 2.5 grams (half a teaspoon) of salt per day. This amount is already contained in regular products: bread, cheese, etc. If a person has heart disease, then the recommended amount of salt consumption per day (total in all products) is 1.5 grams. 100 grams of cheese = 2 full teaspoons of salt. With one piece you overeat your daily requirement. 250 grams of flakes will already provide daily requirement in salt. 100 grams of tomatoes contain 1 to 2 grams of salt. Every person needs to seriously think about their health before a heart attack or stroke strikes them. It is possible and even necessary to live without salt!