Sodium - how dangerous is our table salt?
At a convention of the American Heart Association? In Orleans, US researchers shocked with the following: Worldwide in 2010, 2.3 million people died of too much salt in the diet.
One reason to switch as soon as possible the diet? In our opinion, at least one reason to get more information.
What is sodium?
Sodium is a mineral that belongs to the electrolytes also called quantity elements.
Sodium is indispensable for the human body.
Why does our body need sodium?
Sodium performs vital functions in our body:
- Regulation of the fluid balance (blood, gastric juice, sweat, urine)
- Transport of nutrients
- Driving the muscles in collaboration with potassium
- Participation in the construction of teeth and bones
- Regulation of balance of acids and bases
- Driving salivary flow
Who now thinks he must provide for an increased sodium intake, it is wrong! The daily requirement for sodium (about 2.5 g sodium chloride) has usually been more than exceeded by our daily food intake. We take the largest share of the saline to us. But also through other foods, the sodium gets into our body.
In which foods is sodium included?
Sodium is found in sausages, cheese, bread, fish and canned food.
By eating table salt (sodium chloride) and the mentioned foods, our sodium requirements are more than just covered. With the daily excess reserves are formed in our body, which we attack again with increased sodium loss (sweating, vomiting or diarrhea). If too much sodium loss is not compensated, there is a sodium deficiency.
Signs of sodium deficiency: lower blood pressure, muscle spasms, fatigue.
What happens if we do not need the reserves?
As a rule, the excess of sodium is excreted by a healthy kidney.
Is too much sodium bad for our body?
Scientists suspect that sodium causes hypertension and thus increases the risk of stroke and the risk of heart attack. There is no scientific evidence for this. In fact, the views of experts on this issue diverge. The fact is, however, that physical responses have so far been different to a sodium reduction.
According to the Federal Research Institute for Nutrition and Food in Karlsruhe, people in Germany consume comparatively little sodium.
Our recommendation:
Stay away from ready meals, because there is usually a surplus of sodium hidden here. Cooking yourself is the motto! If you are careful to cook something more economical while cooking, you are guaranteed to make no mistake!
Oh yes: From a health point of view, it makes no difference whether you use simple salt or other particularly expensive salts (sea salt, Himalayasalz). These also consist of 97% of normal saline, sometimes even with unhealthy dyes!
Discussion desired!
