Although too much salt might make food taste better, it poses a serious risk to human health, especially to the heart and general well-being.
The primary component of salt, excessive sodium was identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the leading causes of mortality and disease worldwide last year.
A necessary mineral for maintaining plasma volume, acid-base balance, nerve impulse transmission, and healthy cell function, sodium is found in food.
Excessive salt consumption is associated with negative health outcomes such as hypertension, while insufficient salt intake can also result in serious medical disorders.
“The body needs salt in a specific amount because the kidneys regulate the amount of sodium chloride in the blood,” stated Dr. Prabhat Ranjan Sinha, Senior Consultant in Internal Medicine at Aakash Healthcare.
The World Health Organization states that five grams of salt per day is considered normal. However, insufficient amounts might result in dangerous circumstances like coma.
Salt builds up in the kidneys when there is a low sodium level. Hyponatremia is a condition caused by extremely low salt intake.
This occurs when there are fewer milliequivalents (mEq/L) in the body than the typical 135 mEq/L. Head of Emergency at PSRI Hospital Dr. Prashant Sinha stated that headaches, blackouts, exhaustion, and dizziness are among the worst consequences of the body losing salt.
When a person’s blood salt level is low than 120 mEq/L, they may suffer from severe convulsions, comas, or even brain damage. The experts advised consuming a regular amount of salt in the diet, but not too much.
-Raja Aditya