Common ways people use salt incorrectly in their food

Salt is one of the most important ingredients that is commonly found in every household. Whether you are cooking Indian or Italian, a pinch of salt is necessary to enhance the flavour of the food. Similarly, adding too much of it can make the dish salty. But if you think that you do not need to put much thought before adding salt to your dish then you are extremely wrong.

Salt is not merely a flavouring agent, but an essential nutrient, necessary for our body to function properly. Salt or sodium contain some essential minerals, which act as electrolytes in the body. They help with nerve transmission, fluid balance and muscle function. But when taken in excess, salt can even cause several health problems, including high blood pressure and heart disease. So, you have to be careful before using it freely in your dish. Here are a few things people mostly get wrong while using salt.

Unless and until you have been specifically asked to reduce your salt intake, you don't need to cut it down from your diet. Salt does have a bad reputation when it comes to health, but what most people do not know is that low sodium intake can lead to fluid retention in the body. Besides, it can even cause a blockage in the small intestine, muscle twitching, diarrhoea, vomiting and heart failure. It can also affect your brain activity.

Adding too much salt in your dish is also linked with multiple health concerns like osteoporosis, kidney disease, and hypertension, or high blood pressure. High blood pressure is a major reason behind the buildup of plaque in the arteries, thereby increasing the risk of cardiovascular problems. The American Health Association recommends consuming more potassium and reducing sodium intake in such cases. Potassium is believed to reduce the negative effects of sodium.

There are different kinds of salts available in the market like table salt, kosher salt, sea salt, pink Himalayan salt. They all are different from each other and possess different nutrients. Among all, table salt is most widely used for cooking. It is generally iodized, meaning that iodine is added in the salt. When it comes to nutrient content, sea salt and Himalayan salt are considered more healthy. But this does not mean you can use them as much as you want. Remember no matter what kind of salt you are using, they all contain sodium. So, be careful about the quantity.

Sprinkling salt on your food is another unhealthy habit. Most of us would be guilty of doing this some or the other time. Whenever we feel that our food is slightly bland we take the table salt and sprinkle some on our food. However, sprinkling uncooked salt can be an invitation to health problems. The extra salt that you add on your food does not get easily absorbed by the body, which leads to a spike in the systolic blood pressure levels.

To control your salt intake and use it wisely while preparing your food, it is important to understand how much is too much. As per the World Health Organisation (WHO) adults should consume less than 5 gram of salt per day. For children aged 2 to 15 years the amount of sodium intake depends on their energy requirements. Moreover, the salt you consume should be iodized or fortified with iodine, which is essential for the proper functioning of your brain and growth.