Salt: harm or benefit? Calorie content of salt

From time immemorial, humanity pays special attention to such a seemingly simple substance as table salt. Indeed, not a single food product is associated with such a large number of traditions and superstitions. With salt, people have known for about 10 thousand years. There were times when it was called a divine gift and valued more than gold. For deposits of rock salt were at war, and because of its lack, "salt riots" often broke out. What is known about this controversial product? What is the caloric value of salt and what are the permissible norms of daily use? It is necessary to understand.

Benefit or harm

The benefits and harm of table salt are the most ambiguous opinions. What is the caloric value of salt, what is its specific benefit or harm to the body? Such issues are increasingly of interest to the mass consumer. Scientists are still puzzling over the "what is the salt", and huge amounts of money have already been spent on numerous studies. The purpose of one of the experiments was to study the effect of a certain amount of salt on the human body. As a result, it turned out that, consumed in excess, it can negatively affect the person's vision. This is explained by the fact that when using salt food, blood pressure, including the eye, may rise.

On the other hand, a decrease in consumption can lead to various cardiovascular abnormalities, a risk of getting a myocardial infarction or stroke. Such serious consequences are caused by a lack of sodium in the body. With complete rejection of salt, the activity of nerve cells is disrupted, insulin production is reduced, and renin, on the contrary, is increased. In this connection, it seems reasonable to conclude that everything is good, that in moderation.

Salt as a symbol of life energy

Salt is not just a food seasoning that can improve the taste of a dish. It is a kind of magic symbol of life energy, which is able to ward off misfortunes and sorrows, the evil eye and all that negatively affects a person. In ancient times, at the time of offering, sacrificial animals were sprinkled with salt, so that they charmed the gods with their taste. For a long time it is considered a guardian against evil spirits and evil spells.

Salt, in its ritual meaning, combined with bread means financial well-being and wealth, it's not for nothing that on the wedding day the bride and groom are blessed with bread and salt. Wishes of wealth is also the expression "Bread and salt to you." In modern times, it is in this way that important foreign guests at the government level are welcomed at the airport.

Such a different salt

Salt is a universal product. An interesting fact is that the caloric value of the salt is zero. There are different types of salt: in color (white, pink, black), large stone and extra, as well as iodized, fluoridated, dietary, marine. And this is not a complete list. The purpose of salt is completely different, one can salt salads, the other can be used for canning, the third one - for medical purposes, for the prevention of diseases.

According to the method of extraction and production, the salt can be divided into 4 main types:

• Stone. It is mined in mines and quarries. This is the purest form of salt with a high content of sodium chloride (98-99%) and a minimum amount of moisture.
• Evaporation. It is obtained from salt sources by evaporation, contains sodium chloride about 98-99.8%.
• Sad (marine). It is formed from sea or lake water by evaporation in specially equipped pools. From other species is characterized by a lower content of sodium chloride, as well as flavoring properties.
• Self-contained. The least useful for the body in connection with the lower content of sodium chloride, based on the name, it settles independently on the bottom of the salt lake, whence it is extracted with the help of special equipment.

The use of salt

Salt, in other words, sodium chloride, is one of the most important components that are used in the everyday life of both humans and animals. Caloric content of salt is 0 kilocalories. This resource is also used in many areas of industry. Salt is used as a basis for the production of chemical products (chlorine and caustic soda), from which various plastics are made, in particular PVC. In total there are about 14 thousand spheres of salt application.

As for table salt, which everyone consumes, this substance is a crystalline sodium chloride, each component of which performs a certain vital function in the human body, despite the fact that the caloricity of the salt is zero. The daily need is 10-15 grams. For a year it leaves about seven kilograms. These indicators also depend on the conditions and type of climate. Water-salt metabolism is more intensive in countries with a hotter climate.

Salt is the only natural mineral that a human body can absorb. The salt is actively used for canning of various kinds of sunsets, since the brine has the property of suspending the vital activity of bacteria.

Useful properties and treatment with salt

Salt (calorie content per 100 grams 0 kcal), has good preventive, as well as healing properties. With nasal congestion and runny nose, you can wash your nose with a special solution. In pharmacies there is a wide variety of drugs for irrigation, based on the usual sea water. When the throat is inflamed, rinse (half a teaspoon of salt in half a cup of warm water). Salt also helps with the bites of various insects. To do this, you need to prepare a mixture, one to one, and lubricate the bite place. Itching and pain quickly pass. At home, salt is simply indispensable for light poisoning, because it can excrete poisons and toxins from the body.

Salt is widely used in so-called balneology. Salt baths treat a large number of various diseases, promote the improvement of metabolic processes in the body, remove toxins and toxins. Baths are prescribed for diseases of the spine, arthritis, as well as disorders of the nervous system.

From all the above, it can be concluded that zero caloric value (salt food refers to) makes this product incredibly dietary, but unsuitable for use in food in large quantities.