When someone talks about salt, we automatically will think about sodium chloride, the white crystals left over when sea water evaporates. Salt is known as sodium chloride, is about 40% sodium and 60% chloride. It flavours food and is used as a binder and stabilizer. The human body cannot live without some sodium. The human body requires a small amount of sodium to conduct nerve impulses, contract and relax muscles, and maintain the proper balance of water and minerals. A high salt intake can raise blood pressure, which can damage the body in many ways over time. The human body contains many salts, of which sodium chloride is the major one, making up around 0.4% of the body’s weight at a concentration well equivalent to that in seawater. So, a 60kg person would contain around 240g of sodium chloride, around 42 teaspoons. Since we lose salt whenever we sweat, it must be continually replaced. Having the right amount of sodium is important for your health.
