As we know, salt is the most useful resource found on earth. In Ancient Rome, salt was
used as part of the salary to the soldiers. From this, we can see that salt was as
valuable as gold in the past.
In our daily life, besides making nutritious food more palatable, salt is very
useful in making bakery products, canned and frozen foods. Salt is a good preservative
that retards the growth of micro-organisms to make food storage possible for a long
period of timie before refrigeration.
Recently, an opinion that is harmful to our health was raised by Dr. Arthur Hull
Hayes, Jr,. former comissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Admistration in 1981. The
American Heart Dissociation, the American Medical Association also joined the low-salt
appeal. They believe that sodium salt is connected with heart disease, circulator
disorder, stroke and even early death.
By many doctors and researchers are now beginning to feel that salt has gone
too far. At the University of Alabama, a short-term research has been done on 150 people
on the effect of the intake of salt related to high blood pressure. Result shows that
those with normal blood pressure experience no change at all when placed in a extremely
low salt diet, or later when salt was introduced, Of the hypertensive subjects, half of
those on the low salt diet did experience a drop in blood pressure, which returned to its
previous leel when salt was introduced.
Of course, these are other researcherswhgich tend to support the findings. A
small Indiana study showed that when normal individuals took large amount of salt, the
bolld pressure did not consistenly rise into the hypertensive range. Also, study in
Israel showed that a low-calorie diet could reduce blood pressure without changing salt
consumption. After viewing research statistics, we should know that salt is not exactly
harmful to us. In fact, our bodies have a continual need for salt because our bodies
need sodium and chloride ions each with a different task.
Chloride maintains the balance of water in cells and its environment. It also
plays a part of digestion. Sodium assists in regulating the volumn of blood and blood
pressure. Also, it facilitates the transmission of nerve impulses and is necessary for
heart and muscle contraction. Without this, our bodies could not function properly. On
our diets, how much salt is too much?? Medical experts agrees with the daily intake of
salt for normal person should be around 4 to 10 grams a day. But those with kidney
problem may have to limit dietary salt, if their doctor advises.
The cause of hypertension consists of a number of factors. Such as deficiencies
in calcium, potassium and obesity. In conclusion, salt restriction may harm more people
than it helps. Unless your doctor has proven that you have a salt related health problem,
there is no reason to give salt up!!
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