Dossier do Sal – Discover All About Him!

This is because, in a scientific way, it is described as a series of elements resulting from the reaction of an acid with a base. Thus, as there are numerous of these substances available in the environment, several results can be obtained.

This is exactly why it is not wrong to call one of the most used seasonings in the world table salt, since it is the union of hydrochloric acid with caustic soda, generating sodium chloride. Although it is a vital component for human survival, precisely because it is a key part in carrying out various activities of the body, excess sodium can become a major health villain – a factor that you will understand better below.

The good side:  The famous table salt is responsible for giving more flavor to preparations or even to preserve some types of food. However, its role is not restricted to these functions, since the body’s cells need it all the time, since sodium (a component of salt) plays the role of controlling the substances that enter and leave them. Therefore, the ideal is to know how to dose the salt in the right measure, because it is not healthy to eliminate it completely from the diet.

Sodium participates in important functions such as regulating the hydroelectrolytic balance (amount of liquids and electrolytes inside and outside the cells), muscle contraction, nerve impulses, heart rate, among others, being essential for health when consumed in small amounts. Thus, total sodium restriction can bring more harm than good to the body, since it is an important nutrient for various functions of the body.

General Alert:  Although salt is necessary to maintain the balance of liquids in the cells, when ingested in large amounts, it is capable of compromising the proper functioning of the body, generating some diseases such as:

High Blood Pressure:  One of the problems that can arise as a result of excessive consumption is High Blood Pressure . But, after all, do you know the reason that leads to this picture? As sodium chloride attracts water molecules to itself, the consequence is an increase in blood volume within the veins and arteries. From there, the pressure in the blood vessels gets higher, which can lead to the well-known Hypertension .

Kidney Problems:  When sodium consumption is much more than necessary, the kidney – responsible for excreting this substance from the body – can be compromised, since this organ has a limited ability to filter and eliminate salt.

Another problem is that Hypertension (disease caused by the large amount of salt in the body, as already explained) is one of the main causes of chronic kidney complications. In addition, eating too much salt increases the risk of kidney stones. Kidney stones are formed by the aggregation of urinary salts resulting from metabolic changes (heredity), associated with low fluid intake and inadequate diet.

Swelling:  It occurs due to excessive accumulation of fluid in the interstitial space, a region located between blood vessels and tissue cells (or inside). It is possible to divide edemas into three distinct groups: common lymphedema and myxedema. To differentiate them, it is necessary to identify the substance that is housed in the interstitial space, the first type being characterized by the storage of water and salt.

Therefore, one of the solutions to eliminate bloating is Food Reeducation , which provides the opportunity to reduce sodium in food. According to the WHO (World Health Organization), a healthy adult needs to consume only 5g of salt per day. Brazilians, however, consume more than twice the recommended amount.

Tips to Reduce Salt Consumption:

• When making some food at home, pay close attention to the ingredients you are adding to the recipe. Thus, it is easier to control the amount of salt you ingest;
• Read product labels as all information about food can be found there. That is, it is possible to find out if what you are going to eat is rich in sodium or not;
• There are studies that prove that the more food you put on your plate, the greater the amount consumed even if you are already full. And with salt it’s no different! In other words, if you are an ingredient, the tendency is to use it more often. So hide the salt shaker.