es-TRUTH AND MYTHS                      ABOUT SALT

 While salt is uncontrolled in fast food, pizza and deli items, it can also be hiding in surprising amounts in everything from bread to ketchup and cereal. As a result, the average sodium intake of Americans is about 3,400 milligrams daily, mainly from commercial sources like restaurant meals and packaged foods. The latest advice on limiting salt intake comes in a new report released by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine that ties lower sodium intake to less risk of chronic disease.

What would our world be without salt? Fresh and tasteless, did you immediately think? But there are also those who disagree with this idea, who christened valuable crystals "white death" and gave rise to hundreds of myths and misconceptions around this product that penetrated not only the minds of consumers, but also got into salt shakers in the form of sea or expensive iodized salt.

Salt is truly recognized as the most harmful of all seasonings, especially when used without measure. An increased concentration of sodium chloride in the blood traps the fluid in the vascular bed, overloads the heart and contributes to the development of hypertension. Therefore, the saying "the main thing to know the measure" is applicable to salt at 100%, but not only an overdose of this product in the daily diet harms health, but also the insufficiency of your favorite seasoning. So then you still need ..?

Myth No. 1. "Sea salt is much healthier than ordinary salt"

Facts

Like regular salt, sea salt is almost 100% sodium chloride.

Both sea and table salt contain the same amount of sodium per teaspoon: 2,200 milligrams, therefore, they both have the same effect on your body, and have the same daily intake - no more than one teaspoon! In addition, minerals, in the content of which fans of sea salt so believe, are in small quantities in it. Therefore, to consume a significant amount of such minerals for our body, you will have to use a carriage of sea salt.

The only sure way to get all the necessary vitamins and minerals is to follow the principles of a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and essential protein!

Myth No. 2. "Iodized salt is the best way to prevent iodine deficiency"

This is the second biggest misconception, which for some reason is very difficult to knock out from the minds of consumers. I would like to express special "gratitude" for this myth to talented advertisers and smart producers, who were quick-witted and figured out in time how to improve sales of iodized salt.

Facts

Daily iodine requirement: 100-200 mcg.

The best sources of iodine are:

1. Strawberry

in this sweet red berry there is a sufficient amount of iodine - in one cup almost 10% of the daily intake, about 13 mcg. In addition, strawberries strengthen immunity through vitamin C, regulate blood pressure, and also, according to the study, reduce the level of "bad cholesterol".

2. Prunes

Just in only 5 pieces of this product you will get 13 mcg of iodine!

3. Shrimps

100 grams of these crustaceans contain about 40 mcg of iodine. But shrimp will be a great dinner option not only because of this - they are almost the only source of the powerful antioxidant astaxanthin. According to the study, astaxanthin has a positive effect on human memory and reduces the risk of brain diseases.

Codfish

Is an excellent source of protein for those who monitor their diet: white fish has few fats and calories, but many vitamins and elements, including iodine. One serving (100 grams) contains approximately 110 mcg of iodine. Also, cod is rich in calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, vitamin E and B vitamins, especially vitamin B12, which takes part in the normal functioning of the cardiovascular system.

Myth number 4. "Salt is extremely harmful to humans"

Thanks to public campaigns against salt, expensive products with supposedly low salt content quickly gained popularity, which in fact is not the most useful dietary supplement, monosodium glutamate.

Of course, there's nothing to argue about, in large quantities, salt is harmful to the body.

But with all this, salt provides the most important physiological processes in our body and is one of the main components for creating the necessary conditions for the existence of red blood cells - red blood cells. Without salt in the human body there is no metabolism and digestion stops. Lack of sodium also causes people to develop a heart attack or stroke.

Remember that the daily intake of salt by an adult should not exceed 4-5 g (in hot climates and with physical exertion it increases to 5-6 grams), while many eat more than 9.5 grams due to banal ignorance, and then complain about health problems.

Exceeding the allowable dosage of salt causes various diseases. And do not forget that the salt that you add to food is only 10-15% of the total amount of salt we eat, the rest is initially present in natural products.