Explaining Why Your Regular Table Salt Is Not Good For You!
A pinch of salt is essential to enhance the taste of any dish. As a result, salt is an integral component of our daily diet. Salt is also a necessary element to maintaining mineral balance in our body and carrying several bodily functions. Every cell in the human body requires it. Salt aids in bone density maintenance, healthy circulation, and blood sugar regulation. The sodium present in salt helps control blood pressure, improves nerve and muscle function, and preserves water balance in cells. Additionally, iodine is a mineral present in salt that helps the body maintain proper thyroid functions and cell metabolism.
However, this excellent everyday commodity, loaded with numerous benefits, can also be poisonous.
Want to know how? Read on for detailed information –
Manufacturing Table Salt
The processed form of sodium chloride is table salt. Table salt, while comparable to natural sea salt & rock salt, attempts to emulate the flavor of these salts.
Table salt is often extracted from salt deposits, which are the remains of ancient bodies of saltwater that have long since dried up and vanished. The residues are rinsed with water to dissolve the salt, resulting in a salt solution that is subsequently vacuum evaporated to form crystals. It is cleaned and decontaminated of other minerals and pollutants before adding anti-caking agents. Iodizing table salt with an iodine source such as potassium iodide is an option. To make table salt white, it is dyed using bleached.
Another way of manufacturing table salt is by heating the crude oil extract at 1200 degrees Fahrenheit. However, the salt loses around 80 of its essential minerals when heated to this temperature.
Other table salts contain additives such as refined white sugar and harmful MSG (monosodium glutamate).
Constituents of Table Salt
The commonly purchased iodized salt from supermarkets or salt has synthetic chemicals added to it. As a result, not only are these table salts unhealthy, but they may also be poisonous. After processing, the loss of natural iodine damages the thyroid and causes metabolic disorders. Many manufacturers add synthetic iodine to natural salt.
Side effects of Table Salt on Health
Neutralizing one gram of salt that the body cannot excrete takes 23 times the quantity of cell water. This disrupts our body’s fluid balance and burdens its elimination system. Dehydration and death occur in the cells that remove the unnatural sodium chloride.
Excessive intake of regular table salt can result in kidney stones, gout, gallbladder stones, arthritis, and rheumatism. High consumption of table salt can also induce liver problems, edema, swelling, hypertension, muscle cramps, heart disease, heart failure, stroke, water retention, anxiety, PMS, and nervous system disorders.
Moreover, table salt is highly addictive. The more habituated the body becomes, the more it craves for it. Table salt is also extremely taxing on the circulatory and nervous systems.
The drawback of table salt is that it has a high sodium concentration. Sodium aids in the regulation of fluid equilibrium in the body. An excessive amount of salt in the blood can lead to high blood pressure, also defined as hypertension. High salt consumption can also elevate the risk of cardiovascular diseases, obesity, and the development of Type 2 diabetes. Additionally, salt can promote autoimmune diseases.
Consumption of Regular Table Salt
Sodium chloride, sodium benzoate, and monosodium glutamate are common ingredients in processed meals. The excessive use of processed table salt in shops and restaurants is to blame for various ailments, particularly high blood pressure, which leads to heart attacks and renal damage. The majority of individuals assume that the bulk of their sodium consumption comes from cooking with table salt at home. But it is essential to learn that most sodium consumption occurs while eating processed foods.
The primary use of salt is as a preservative. Researches conclude that adding more salt to food can positively influence the food take of children. While salting vegetables may encourage kids to consume them, it may also boost their appetite for processed and comfort foods.
Salt is an essential ingredient in several packaged or store-bought food items, including cheese, chips, crackers, bread and pastries, salted nuts and seeds, processed meats and cured meats (salami, deli meat, sausages, bacon), cereals, canned products (fish, sauces, soups, beans), condiments (salad dressings, gravy, ketchup, mustard), stocks and bouillon cubes, soy sauce, pizza, packaged noodles, and pre-prepared and frozen meals.
Ways to Reduce and Manage Salt Consumption
Regular table salt, as well as salt included in processed goods, are both harmful to health. Therefore, the ideal strategy to eliminate processed table salt is to remove processed packaged food, including a host of many other toxic substances, from the routine diet. Hence, it is the first step in improving sodium balance and overall well-being. Apart from salt, use several herbs and spices in seasoning the food.
Cooking your every meal from scratch is ideal for controlling what goes into the food.
When the body becomes dehydrated, salt cravings can emerge. It is possible to avoid these cravings by drinking plenty of water. As a result, it is advisable to consume at least 30 ml of water for every kilogram of body weight.
To avoid excessive use of conventional table salt, begin eating naturally salty foods such as egg, celery, beans and legumes, olives, spinach, almonds, homemade bone broth, and seaweed.
Replace Table Salt, Switch to Healthier Options
There are multiple alternatives to refined table salt like sea salt, rock salt, kosher salt, pink Himalayan salt, and Celtic sea salt.
Sea salt is extracted from seawater by evaporating and drying, resulting in less processing and retaining minerals like potassium, iron, and zinc. The texture of sea salt differs significantly from traditional table salt. Sea salt is frequently less crushed, resulting in bigger salt flakes.
Originally, Jewish religious activities employed Kosher salt for removing blood from the meat surface, making the meat Kosher. Though Kosher salt and table salt are derived from similar sources, they are different. Besides the more prominent grains and textures, Kosher salt does not contain iodine and generally doesn’t contain anti-caking agents.
Pink Himalayan salt is obtained from the Himalayas. It is the purest form of salt devoid of modern-day impurities or toxins. Himalayan salt has a lower sodium percentage than table salt. It also includes trace iron, potassium, magnesium, and calcium levels. It’s only 84% sodium chloride compared to 98% sodium in table salt. Pink Himalayan salt helps regulate electrolytes, pH levels in the body, enhance nutritional absorption, and remove toxins when consumed regularly. This salt has a rougher texture and a more robust taste, apart from the health advantages.
Celtic sea salt comes from Brittany, France, near the Celtic Sea. It is grey in color and absorbs moisture. Despite the textural variation, experts equate the nutritional richness of Celtic salt with that of pink Himalayan salt. According to studies, Celtic salt contains the least sodium of all salts on this list. It also boasts significant levels of essential minerals like calcium and magnesium.
As a result, such naturally occurring salts maintain the electrolyte balance, balance the sodium-potassium ratios, and keep us hydrated.
Himshakti – Promising a Healthy Life
We hope this blog post has made you aware of health diseases that your regular table salt is serving you with your every meal. If you want to replace your everyday table salt with healthier options, then Himshakti is your one-stop shop solution to incorporate the power of the Himalayas into your routine. We promise to serve you happiness that is healthy, tasty, and contains the goodness of the Himalayas directly from the lap of the Himalayas.
