27 July,2010 07:42 AM IST | | Tunali Mukherjee
With the Angelina Jolie-starrer Salt out in theatres, Active! decided to get experts to tell you why you can't do without, or with too much namak
Once upon a time, there lived a King who asked his three lovely daughters a simple question. "How much do you love me?" "More than all the jewels in the world," replied the eldest.
"More than all the silk in the world," replied the second. "More than the salt in my food," replied the youngest.
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Offended by this curious comparison, the youngest fell from favour until the royal cook had a bad day, and forgot to add salt to a banquet meal he was preparing.
"There's no taste in this food!" roared the King, who suddenly realised what his youngest had tried to say all along.
We cannot live without salt. However, if this analogy were to be adopted in our times, doctors would probably want to warn the King about the harmful implications of his youngest's love.
Dr Anita Matthew, general practitioner, Fortis Hospital, Mulund, says, "Sodium chloride or salt is needed by our body to maintain electrolyte balance in the bloodstream.
However, all you require is three to five grams a day. That's just 1 teaspoon full in all your meals combined."
Heartburn and ulcers are the more common problems that arise out of excess salt consumption.
"Hypertension, cyclic oedema (water retention in the hands and feet), stroke and lower bone mineral density are other salt-related ailments," she says.
"Salt ups blood pressure and that increases the size of the heart. For those who already suffer from heart ailments, this could cause serious complications," says Dr Matthew. Asthma may worsen and chances of a stroke and stomach cancer may increase.
Salt also leaches the body of calcium, which in turn decreases mineral levels in bones and makes them brittle. Dr Eileen Canday, nutritionist with Breach Candy Hospital, says those with kidney disorders are advised to be extremely careful with their salt intake since it can cause renal disorder.
So does that mean we're better off cutting out salt completely from our diet? "Biochemical factors decide how a person reacts to salt. We all need to maintain a level of about 142 mg/deciliter of sodium in our bloodstream. It's when this level is unbalanced that problems arise," Dr Canday explains.
But there are pros too?
The body can also be affected by a lack of salt. "In cases such as diarrhea or excessive loss of fluids through sweating, we administer Electral to make up for the loss of electrolytes. Also, some people go overboard with their salt restrictions, forcing levels down to a low, and then we need to bring it up to maintain the required balance," says Dr Canday.
With essential functions like regulating water balance in the body, balancing sugar levels to prevent diabetes, and preventing muscle cramps, salt cannot be negated from the diet. The trick, as with most things, is to strike a balance, and consume it in moderation.
Did you know?
Salt was once such a valuable commodity, that people would trade a pound of gold for a pound of salt. Even into the twenty-first century, Ethiopians accepted salt as a form of payment.
The word salary is derived from the Latin word salarium. 'Sal' is the Latin word for salt, which might explain the origin of the phrase to be 'worth one's salt' or the salary one is paid.
A superstition advises one to throw salt over one's left shoulder if one should accidentally spill it, in a bid to blind the devil so he can't witness your error or sneak up on you while you are cleaning up your mess.
The Wieliczka Salt Mine in Poland is a World Heritage site that features an enormous ballroom elaborately decorated with statues, chandeliers and carvings made entirely out of salt, created by the salt miners who have laboured there for decades.
Town names ending in 'lick', 'wich' and 'saal' are towns that were founded because of salt availability.
The late French scientist Dr Alexis Carrel kept a chicken heart alive for 37 years by leaving the pulsating heart in a solution of sea salt.
Dr Carrel voluntarily ended the experiment after a third of a century, having proven that living cells can have physical immortality.
Why You can't ban salt from your diet
Before you embark on a self-imposed low-salt diet, consider this. In the Middle Ages people were put to death by salt deprivation. Here's why salt is worth its weight in gold:
Effective in stabilizing irregular heartbeats and, along with water, is essential for the regulation of blood pressure only if taken in the right amounts.
Extracts excess acidity from cells in the body, particularly the brain cells.
Needed in absorption of food particles through the intestinal tract and in energy production for cells.
Necessary for sleep regulation as it is a natural hypnotic.
Vital for maintaining libido.
Sixu00a0easy ways to cut down on salt
According to nutritionist Dr Canday, being aware and educated about the food you eat is the best way to stay fit.
1. Read the nutritive value labels on foodstuff you buy.
2. Avoid readymade food. Ready-to-eat food, which includes cheese, butter, sausages and canned foods are high on preservatives and ajinomoto, which increases sodium levels.
3. Cut down on Chinese food, pickles and papads.
4. Cut back on bread. Breads might not taste salty, but have high salt content.
5. Replace French fries and chips with mashed potatoes, vada pavs with idlis. Eat chaats without sev.
6. To de-salt butter, pour hot water over it and set it aside till it cools. The butter will float on top and can be easily removed, while the salty water can be discarded.
