Salt is added to many types of processed and restaurant foods, and it has become one of the most commonly used ingredients used to make food taste better. Nearly everything that comes processed in a package, box or can has added salt, and it is surprising to see how much salt is added to these foods. People have become addicted to salt, and it is something that the taste buds often expect. Many food manufacturers like to use salt because it is an inexpensive way to add flavor and preservatives in the products they sell.
How Salt Impacts Your Health
The problem is that too much salt is dangerous for your health. Many people know that they need to limit their salt consumption, but they don’t take a proactive approach to manage the amount of salt that they consume each day. Too much salt increases the risk of heart disease and high blood pressure, which is common knowledge among doctors and health professionals. But, it is surprising for some people to hear that salt also increases their risk of certain types of cancer, especially stomach cancer. Multiple research studies have confirmed these findings, providing strong evidence that we need to reduce the amount of salt that we consume each day. Stomach cancer is the fourth most common type of cancer, and it is suspected that salt increases the risk of stomach cancer because it damages the lining of the stomach. If you want to prevent gastric cancer, then you need to limit the amount of salt that you are consuming.
How Much Salt Do I Need?
Keep in mind that sodium is important for overall health, because it impacts certain body functions such as blood volume, blood pressure, muscle functions, and nerve functions. Salt helps to balance the amount of water that is present within and outside of cells. To get enough salt for these health functions, you need about 500 milligrams per day, which works out to be approximately 1/10th of a teaspoon. That’s not very much, especially since many people sprinkle ¼ teaspoon or more on each of their meals!
Are There Healthy Salts?
Instead of using table salt in your home, make sure that you are using a high quality product such as the Eden Celtic Sea Salt or a nice quality Himalayan Salt. These options are unprocessed salts that will support your health because they still contain the natural minerals that are needed. Most processed foods and restaurant meals are made with traditional table salt which is actually toxic because the salt is so heavily processed. Regular table salt is heavily refined, bleached, filtered, and stripped of the natural minerals that are important for health. Then, chemicals are added to the table salt to prevent clumping and caking. So, the finished product is very different than the natural salts that were harvested initially. It is denatured, highly concentrated, and very toxic to the human body.
Living a long, healthy life is possible! It starts with simple, effective, nutritious recipes. In addition to making the change from table salt to a healthier salt, you also need to start decreasing the amount of salt that you are consuming each day. Over time, your taste buds will start to adjust, and food will become more flavorful without added salt. If you want to learn how to prepare healthy foods with minimal salt, take a look at Unravel the Mystery - The Companion Recipe Book. Another great resource is Unravel the Mystery by Ann Malkmus, which teaches you about other health principles that should be implemented into your daily routines.
