Our bodies need salt, which is known as sodium chloride, because it’s is one of the essential minerals required for good nerve and muscle functioning. In the recommended quantity, salt supports optimal overall health.
Too much of any food can have a negative impact on your health. Rather than singling out salt, the key is to focus on your overall health through a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle. It’s less about getting rid of the salt shaker or grinder on the kitchen counter or dinner table, and more about avoiding the salts hidden in foods that we don’t even think of as salty – taking control of your salt intake and keeping the choice in your own hands.
Salt is an important and essential mineral in many body functions. At the recommended level of no more than 5ml (1 tsp) a day, salt helps to:
- Control blood sugar by improving insulin sensitivity, which decreases the risk of diabetes.
- Maintain the right levels of stomach acid needed for good digestion.
- Reduce stress hormones and improve sleep quality.
- Improve metabolism and encourage a healthy weight.
- Support a healthy thyroid function, which helps the brain, muscles, heart and other organs to work efficiently and controls how the body uses food for energy.
- Balance hormone levels, helping the body to retain other important minerals such as magnesium and potassium.