Salt is one of the oldest foods in the world. Scientists say primitive humans and animals instinctively licked rocks for their flavour and nutritional benefits. On the other hand, rock salt was part of the history of the pharaohs, who used this condiment to preserve mummies. Today this condiment has both detractors and defenders. On the one hand, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) seeks to reduce salt consumption to 5 grams per day per person since its intake in greater quantities translates into cardiovascular diseases. On the other hand, its defenders have found several derivatives of salt (sodium chloride) in sea salt, which does not go through any chemical process, and Himalayan salt or pink salt, which is found in all supermarkets in the country. Read the article to know more about the benefits of salt in our daily life.
Properties of Salt
We must be aware that abuse in salt consumption is very harmful to health and can lead to problems such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease or fluid retention. However, as paradoxical as it may seem, moderate use benefits the circulatory system.
Salt gives food a good taste while benefiting the nervous system, which is responsible for transmitting information to the brain. Its consumption is especially favourable for hypotensive people, such as those with lower blood pressure. Likewise, the use of unrefined sea salt is recommended, as it contains minerals such as sodium or iodine, of great importance in the development of children.
Benefits Of Salt
1. Reduce dark circles
Salt performs its task of seasoning and preservatives to perfection. Thanks to its composition of sodium and chlorine ions, salt (in any of its presentations) help stop biological aging processes. In this case, it is an effective method to disappear dark circles. To do this, soak a cloth in warm salt water and hold it over your eyes for fifteen minutes. This process helps restore the natural colour of the skin.
2. Detoxify some foods
Himalayan salt contains an exact measure of fungicides, which are used to eliminate fungi and microbes from meats and vegetables. In this case, cleaning the lettuce leaves or preserving meat and fish is very useful. You can also mix water and salt into a spray as an insect repellant and an organic pesticide.
3. Eliminates acids from your body
The body naturally obtains alkaline nutrients from natural water, fruits and different salts, which allows it to maintain a stable pH for the correct absorption of nutrients. However, junk food diets, sodas, and even bottled water are acidic, meaning they can disrupt the proper absorption of nutrients. It is recommended to add 2 grams of water to 150 millilitres of water.
4. Improves your cardiovascular health
Paradoxically, in all its presentations, salt in a glass of water helps reduce cholesterol levels, lowers blood pressure, normalizes heartbeat and can even prevent brain diseases and heart attacks. To regulate your body’s pH levels, nothing is better than sea salt. This seasoning can help restore alkaline nutrients and prevents high acid levels in the body and liver and kidney diseases.
5. Eliminate body aches
The last in this list of benefits of salt is treating muscle pain. Both common salt, sea salt and pink salt, have anti-inflammatory properties thanks to their minerals. This property works to mitigate pain. A warm salt water bath can help heal an injury or clean an inflamed wound. On the other hand, you can combine it with lemon and water to restore electrolytes, which strengthens the immune system.