Salt is the most commonly used substance for our daily food. It is called as sodium chloride in scientific terms. Sodium is what needed to our body for its proper functioning. It keeps the body fluids concentration at the required levels and prevents to increase and decrease in the level. It also plays very important part in the transmission of electric impulses to the nerves and helps our body cells to take the nutrients from the food.
When concentration of sodium increases from its normal level body starts retaining much water which further increases the body fluids. When these high level fluids reach to the blood vessels in the brain it weakens the nerves which can even burst. In the same manner when these fluids pass through heart it causes strain on the heart and can increase the possibility of coronary disease. Not all but many scientists say that the increase in the level of fluids can cause high blood pressure or tension which may further lead to coronary disease and hypertension. There are many other causes of coronary disease and hypertension that is why some scientists do not believe that salt is responsible for it.
It is suggested by doctors that the babies of four months and below should not be given the food which has high salt concentration because the extra sodium in the body can damage the brain, kidney, liver and the kidneys of such a small child because he is not developed properly at this age and cannot pass the excess salt through urine as the adults can do.
We daily take nine grams to ten grams of salt daily but it is recommended that intake of salt in adults should not be more than the six grams. If we take six grams salt per day it will decrease the number of heart attacks per year by 70,000.
We get most of the salt say nearly 75% from the processed foods and the salt that we use on table while eating. So for this we can do only one thing i.e. we can reduce the daily intake of salt.
