Salt
Salt, the magic power. Cooking without salt is nearly impossible yet if we add just a bit too
much, it will ruin the taste. It is the balance which makes our meals enjoyable. However,
salt is more than asimple ingredient in our meals. Salt is part of the reasons that make life
possible.1 Salt is sodium chloride. Its property of being able to dissociate into its sodium
and chlorine atoms is what gives water the ability to conduct electricity1. It has several
unique interactions with water such as lowering the freezing point and dehydrating meats
which allow us to use it for things such as deicing and preserving meat2.
Sodium chloride forms naturally as sodium and chloride come together in water. When
water evaporates it leaves behind deposits of salt. There are two ways of mining it, dry mining
and solution mining3. Dry mining involves finding a deposit of salt and physically going into the
area to mine it, mostroad salt is obtained this way. Solution mining is inserting water into a salt
deposit turning it into brine and bringing it into a facility where it is then dehydrated and salt is
obtained3. Most table salt is obtained via solution.
much, it will ruin the taste. It is the balance which makes our meals enjoyable. However,
salt is more than asimple ingredient in our meals. Salt is part of the reasons that make life
possible.1 Salt is sodium chloride. Its property of being able to dissociate into its sodium
and chlorine atoms is what gives water the ability to conduct electricity1. It has several
unique interactions with water such as lowering the freezing point and dehydrating meats
which allow us to use it for things such as deicing and preserving meat2.
Sodium chloride forms naturally as sodium and chloride come together in water. When
water evaporates it leaves behind deposits of salt. There are two ways of mining it, dry mining
and solution mining3. Dry mining involves finding a deposit of salt and physically going into the
area to mine it, mostroad salt is obtained this way. Solution mining is inserting water into a salt
deposit turning it into brine and bringing it into a facility where it is then dehydrated and salt is
obtained3. Most table salt is obtained via solution.
Table salt is the primary source of sodium in our body. The human body does not produce
sodium naturally4. Sodium is used for several functions such as electrical conduction,
osmolarity, maintaining extracellular fluid volume4, etc. Without sodium, our body could
not function normally, therefore, meeting the daily recommended diet requirement for salt
is essential4. The ideal intake of salt is set at 1500 mg/kg by the Heart Association however
on average most people consume 2300 mg/kg per day5. It is not necessary that the minimum
or maximum be the same for everyone, the daily recommended values can change depending
on ethnicity, genetics and other environmental factors5.
sodium naturally4. Sodium is used for several functions such as electrical conduction,
osmolarity, maintaining extracellular fluid volume4, etc. Without sodium, our body could
not function normally, therefore, meeting the daily recommended diet requirement for salt
is essential4. The ideal intake of salt is set at 1500 mg/kg by the Heart Association however
on average most people consume 2300 mg/kg per day5. It is not necessary that the minimum
or maximum be the same for everyone, the daily recommended values can change depending
on ethnicity, genetics and other environmental factors5.
Salt has been used universally for various functions. It forms naturally and can be obtained
easily. Though it is necessary for life it is important to take it in moderation. Its unique
properties in water arethe reasons for life and we use it every day to make our life slightly better.
easily. Though it is necessary for life it is important to take it in moderation. Its unique
properties in water arethe reasons for life and we use it every day to make our life slightly better.
References:
(1) Collins, J. Water; Molecular Presentations: Kinderhook, N.Y., 2000.
(2) Doran, G. In How Stuff Works: Salt, Discovery Channel, 2009.
(3) Schaetzl, R. Salt mining: mining part http://geo.msu.edu/extra/geogmich/saltminingm.html (accessed Jan 30, 2018).
(4) Passwater, R.; Cranton, E. Trace elements, hair analysis, and nutrition; Keats Pub.: New Canaan, CT, 1983.
(5) Sodium and Salt. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/HealthyEating/Nutrition/Sodium-and-Salt_UCM_303290_Article.jsp#.WnAZF6inG70 (accessed Jan 30, 2018).
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