Let’s talk about sodium.
Specifically, I suppose you could say I want to talk about salt. For the purposes of this post, I’m going to consider salt & sodium interchangeable. In truth, they’re not. Salt contains sodium; sodium by itself is not something I’d plan on sprinkling over my baked potato. After all, in the right conditions pure sodium will explode on contact with water. So let’s not do that.
Sodium is a critical element that the body needs, up to a point, to function efficiently. Sodium supports enzyme operations, muscles, fluid levels, nerves, and more. Are you getting the idea that it’s something you need?
Extreme sodium deficiency can result in headache, muscle issues, gut issues, and nerve problems. Not good.
Extreme sodium consumption can lead to dangerously high blood pressure, swelling nerves, and even comas.
Note that for both of those issues, I said extreme. Hopefully this is not something you’ve experienced personally!
We need a balance of sodium in our diet to keep our bodies functioning happily, and to keep our taste buds happy as well. Too much is a problem, but so is too little.
I like salt. Sometimes I love salt. Sometimes I think there’s not enough salt; sometimes there’s too much.
Salt is a wonderful thing. Some foods, as I’ve mentioned recently, are a delivery vehicle for salt (and butter, but that’s a different topic). Craving salt can lead to eating foods that might not be the best choices. For example, last week’s post about strategies & substitutions started with admitting I love potato chips but I’m trying to cut down on them. I frequently crave salty snacks after a long day working outside; sweating too much leaves the body deprived of sodium.
How about you? When do you crave salt? Do you feel as if you have a balanced amount of sodium in your diet?
Cheers! Here’s to your health!