The Dangers of Salt and Healthy Alternatives

Salt is another one of those things that scares people into state of panic. Much like Keeping Up With The Kardashians

Fortunately, there are good and bad salts, also just like the Kardashians…

The truth is we do need some salt in our diet, but before you go grabbing the salt shaker to dump on your bowl of pork rinds remember which is detrimental to your health. And this of course would be refined (table) salt.

Much like refined sugar and wheat, refined salt is basically a product with no nutritional value. It has been striped of its nutrients to make it less perishable and to help extend its shelf life.

Refined salt is a chemically cleaned, devitalized and toxic substance that has no place in a healthy diet and lifestyle. It is virtually void of trace minerals and is almost pure sodium chloride. Along with this are some very unnecessary additives. These additives tend to be sodium ferrocyanide, ammonium citrate and aluminum silicate that are put in the product as anti caking agents. A bad trade off for the inconvenience of having to deal with caked up salt..

Refined table salt can cause some of the same effects on the brain as msg (monosodium glutamate) which can have addictive properties and create lesions on the brain. They are both man made chemicals that can create an excitotoxin effect in the brain. Something we definitely want to avoid.

The most important mineral missing in refined salt is magnesium which balances out the sodium. Magnesium is one of the most versatile minerals needed for over 500 enzymes in the body. It is involved in energy production, nerve function, muscle relaxation, and bone and tooth formation. In conjunction with calcium and potassium, magnesium regulates heart rhythm and clots blood; it also aids in the production and use of insulin.

On the other end of the spectrum are the salts with some benefits to the body. Notably Himalayan salt and unrefined sea salts. These are loaded with over 80 essential minerals including, magnesium, calcium and potassium. These essential minerals help in raising the bodies ph to make it more alkaline

These essential minerals also help in balancing out electrolytes and sea salt has little or no effect on blood pressure. Sea salt also contains natural levels of iodine a mineral not made by the body. Iodine used to be added to salts when the average diet was devoid in it causing poor thyroid levels and goiters. Iodine is not only necessary for thyroid function but it is responsible for all the hormones in the body. Iodine contains antibacterial, antiparasitic, antiviral, and anticancer properties, necessary for proper immune system function when present in adequate level.

when looking for sea salts make sure that the only ingredient in it is unrefined sea salt. Contrary to popular belief not all salt causes a raise in blood pressure. Blood pressure elevation has been observed though with the use of refined table salt which is devoid of magnesium. This imbalance between sodium and magnesium can constrict the arteries and cause blood pressure problems in some individuals.

Sea salt is produced in various regions such as France, Italy, Greece and Spain as well as the North Sea and Atlantic coast. It is produced when seawater is left to evaporate leaving behind coarse white salt which has been dried by the sun and sea breezes. Some companies will use salt pans while others will use solar green houses and shallow pools.

If using salt in cooking or recipes do yourself a favour and consume only unrefined natural sea salt. You don’t need a lot of it and will save yourself from the unhealthy effects that come from using modern refined table salt.

These refined salts, and the Kardashians while we’re at it, really appear to bad for our health.