Salt offers a variety of health benefits, which are explained below.
Prevents Iodine Deficiency: Iodized salt is one of the most common sources of dietary iodine. Iodine deficiency refers to the insufficiency of iodine mineral in the body, which is vital for the manufacturing of the thyroid hormone. It is a very important part of our diet, as the body does not naturally produce iodine.
Without adequate amounts of iodine, the thyroid enlarges in an attempt to keep up with the body’s demand for thyroid hormone. This may result in serious conditions like the development of goiter or hypothyroidism. The body also requires thyroid hormones for the appropriate development of the brain and bone structure during pregnancy and the early development years of young children. If the expectant or the lactating mothers are iodine deficient, the children can suffer from mental retardation. An adequate intake of iodized salt can prevent such deficiencies and their sometimes fatal results.
Oral Rehydration: Salt is essential for sustaining the hydration levels of the body. It is extremely vital to maintain the electrolyte balance for the smooth functioning of the human organ systems. These electrolytes primarily entail magnesium, potassium, calcium, and sodium. For people who work outside and especially those who regularly workout, it is crucial to recovering both salt and water shortages that occur through perspiration. When the body is dehydrated and diseases like cholera and diarrhea weaken the system, doctors advise using a blend of water, sugar, and salt to compensate for the lost fluids. This solution is as effective as Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS).
Improves Cardiovascular Health: It has been proven that dietary salt determines the blood pressure of the body and has an impact on cardiovascular health, which is primarily related to strokes and heart attacks. High blood pressure or hypertension is a major cause of such events. Inadequate intake of salts like calcium, magnesium, and sodium can cause health issues. Controlling the intensity of your salt intake often affects the blood pressure.
Low Blood Pressure ( a reading below 90/60) can be treated by consuming more salt and hydrating fluids. This will help boost the volume of blood in the arteries, resulting in a rise in blood pressure. If the blood pressure rises too high (reading above 140/90), then many other organs like the eyes, kidneys, and brain are also at risk. Along with a poor exercise regime, malnutrition, and hereditary risks, salt intake also contributes to high blood pressure. Eating excess salt means that you end up retaining too much water in the body, which can aggravate the fluid upsurge related to heart failure.
Prevents Diabetes: Healthy levels of insulin are required to maintain a fit body. Diets with low levels of salt can weaken the body’s sensitivity towards insulin. This reduces the body’s ability to metabolize glucose, providing poor levels of energy to the liver, muscles, and nervous system, possibly leading to Type 2 diabetes.
Intravenous Saline IV Solution: Patients suffering from serious conditions like heart failure or acute diarrhea are given medication intravenously. When it is not possible to consume anything orally, saline IV solution is administered in the hospitals to bring back optimum hydration levels of the body’s cells.
Prevents Hyponatremia: Hyponatremia is a condition in which the body suffers from a shortage of sodium (salt) in the fluids present outside the cells. This can be caused by over-hydration with water, perspiration, or diarrhea, and is also known as water intoxication.
To maintain a healthy blood pressure and smooth functioning of your nerves and muscles, the body needs an adequate amount of salt (sodium). When this optimum level of sodium falls, water enters the cells to compensate. This results in an imbalance of water to the salt ratio in the body, causing swelling in the cells because of excess water.
Barring the brain cells, this swelling is not a threat for most of the cells, but the brain cells are restricted inside the skull frame. This swelling in the brain cells leads to Hyponatremia.
Combats Sun Stroke: Heat Stroke is a condition that occurs when the body’s heat-regulating system falls short. This can occur both by being out in the hot sun for a long duration as well as overheating in the surrounding environment, such as work areas. The body fails to release heat properly in order to attain its normal temperature. As a result, the body temperature becomes too high, which poses a threat to the major organs. In an attempt to cool itself down, the body produces more sweat through the sweat glands, thereby losing essential salt (sodium) and water.
Elderly people and small babies are at greater risk of heat stroke since their body’s thermostat lack efficiency. Prevention of heat or sunstroke is always advisable by keeping the body hydrated and consuming adequate amounts of salt in order to maintain the electrolyte balance. A person suffering from heat stroke can be treated by offering water or fluids that contain sugar and salt.
Cures Cystic Fibrosis: Cystic fibrosis is caused by a malformed protein that prevents the optimum movement of salt and water in and out of the body’s cells, resulting in very sticky, salty sweat. This can be tested by diagnosing the salt content of the perspiration. In cystic fibrosis, the body loses more salt than normal. Infants suffering from cystic fibrosis need extra salt as both infant milk and breast milk is low in salt content. The salt content should be cautiously increased only after a discussion with a specialist.
Maintains Dental Hygiene: Painful bacterial infections like trench mouth can cause ulcers in the gums, which can be soothed using a salt water rinse. The rinse can be prepared by mixing 1/2 teaspoon of salt mixed with 1 cup of warm water. It helps to reduce swelling and soothes sore gums. As a preventive oral hygiene measure, cleaning the teeth with a mixture of 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and baking soda in 1 qt. of warm water helps to clean plaque, whitens the teeth, and keeps the gums healthy.
Treats Sore Throat: Pharyngitis, commonly known as a sore throat, can be alleviated by repeated gargling with a cup of warm water mixed with ½ teaspoon of salt.
Relieves Muscle Cramps: Muscle cramps can occur due to various reasons such as alcoholism, exercise, or medications. The intake of fluids and drinks that contain salt can be helpful in providing relief.
Chronic Rhinosinusitis: Research studies indicate that the use of nasal irrigation using saline or salt water helps in treating nasal and sinus problems.
Other Benefits
Soaking your tired feet in warm water mixed with salt helps in relieving pain. It is good for skin exfoliation as well because it removes dead skin particles.
The final question: How Much Of Salt Intake Is Healthy?
Doctors recommend no more than 6 grams of dietary salt (i.e. 2.5 grams of sodium) on a daily basis. This makes it approx. 1 teaspoon of salt per day. A good amount of that (about 75%) is already present in processed meats, breakfast cereals, and bread. Babies less than one year should not consume more than 1 gram of salt, whereas the recommended intake for young children changes as they grow bigger.
Summary:
References:
https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/other/health-benefits-of-salt.html