Table salt- a surprisingly common product, but at the same time so many customs and beliefs are associated with it, its history is very eventful and even military actions.

Humanity has been using this seasoning for more than ten thousand years. But, since our planet was practically unexplored, in ancient times salt deposits were very rare and were under the jurisdiction of only royalty. Particularly privileged persons and eminent warriors received salt rations.

Methods for obtaining salt have changed over the centuries. At first, people learned to burn plants soaked in sea water and sprinkle the ashes on their food. Then they began to “boil down” the salt - on the Black Sea coast in the territory of modern Bulgaria, saltworks were discovered that operated as early as the 6th millennium BC. e.. Moreover, the scale of their work reached industrial volumes. This method of extraction gave salt the name “table salt”. The product was obtained by evaporating a salt source from water in special ovens.

Table (rock) salt is a simple compound of sodium and chlorine and appears as white crystals. The presence of other shades (gray, brown) may indicate the presence of mineral impurities.

Today there are several ways to obtain this food additive:

• natural evaporation of water from salt springs and sea water;
• sedimentary salt mined in the depths of lakes;
• development of mines in which the product is not subjected to water and heat treatment;
• industrial purification of halite – rock salt deposits in places of dried up seas.

It is believed that it was salt mining in the American city of Louisiana that led to the formation of the famous Louisiana Sinkhole. By the way, the USA is the leader in the production of this food additive.

No matter what modern researchers say, there are ancient folk traditions associated with table salt. For example, dear guests were always greeted with bread and salt. And on Holy Thursday they prepared Thursday salt, which was then used in church rituals. In the taiga, for a long time there has been an unshakable rule: when leaving the shelter, it is imperative to leave matches and salt for random travelers.

The composition of table salt is 97% sodium chloride. The remaining 3% are various additives in the form of iodides, fluorides and carbonates, with which the product is enriched for the prevention of various diseases (thyroid gland, teeth, etc.).

On sale you can find several varieties of the product: purified or unrefined table salt of various degrees of grinding. All this affects the taste of the product and its properties.

Beneficial features

In the human body, salt cannot be formed independently; the only way to become saturated with it is through food.

Salt is not considered a food product, but only a flavoring additive. Therefore, there is great debate about the reasons for use and the need to do so. One of the most common ideas is the theory of sodium deficiency in the body.

According to the theory of biochemists, on the planet in prehistoric eras there was a natural balance of potassium and sodium salts. However, global climate changes and prolonged rains have led to the leaching of sodium salts from the soil. Accordingly, their deficiency appeared in plants, which caused a natural craving to compensate for the excess of potassium salts and the lack of sodium chloride in the bodies of animals and people.

Sodium and chlorine ions are very important for human life; their role is key in the following processes:

• maintaining water and electrolyte balance, especially in people leading an active lifestyle and athletes; special isotonic drinks are even created for them;
• conduction of nerve impulses and nerve contractions;
• the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, which is involved in digestion;
• regulation of blood pressure, heartbeat;
• normalization of muscle and bone tissue growth.

In cases of severe dehydration, doctors administer saline solution through IVs to restore balance in the body.

People have long begun to notice an improvement in their well-being if there is a certain amount of salt in their food. However, this does not mean that salt should be eaten with spoons. There is a certain consumption rate, and it is approximately 11 grams, or 1 teaspoon per day. Keep in mind that many products (canned food, sausages, cheeses, etc.) already contain table salt. Therefore, most people unknowingly exceed the physiological norm by 2-3 times, which can even lead to table salt poisoning.

Use in cooking

Table salt is one of the most important food additives, without which all cooked food will be bland. Its taste is very characteristic, although you can also find exotic varieties with “impurities”. However, the taste of salt will differ not only depending on the geography and method of extraction, but also on the method of processing the resulting product.

There are different types of salt based on the quality of grinding. Coarsely ground salt is considered the most delicious, since it retains most of the elements and minerals. But refined fine seasoning only has an attractive appearance. It is devoid of all useful elements, in addition, it has undergone numerous treatments with chemicals for bleaching and grinding.

Salt is used in all areas of cooking; a rare dish can be done without its use. However, you need to use the product correctly to get the maximum benefit from it. For example, iodized salt should be added after preparing food, and only coarse salt is suitable for preservation.

By the way, for long-term and simple preservation of food, no more effective method has yet been found than salting. Thanks to the antiseptic properties of salt, the development of rotting and bacterial growth in all organic tissues is prevented.

Those wishing to switch to a salt-free diet must be under the close supervision of doctors. This regimen is usually prescribed only for therapeutic purposes for a limited time.

At home and in warehouses, salt should be stored in dry rooms in closed containers. If iodine is added to its composition, then it is advisable to protect the salt from light.

The benefits of table salt and treatment

The components of table salt have a very beneficial effect on the human body. Sodium and chlorine ions are involved in many processes occurring in the body; they are present in gastric juice, the central nervous system, bone and muscle tissue, in the blood and intercellular fluid. Residents of hot regions especially need to be replenished with them, since they experience more active sweating and accelerate water-salt metabolism. That is why the peoples of the North do not need so much salt and can live without it for a long time.

Also, the level of salt intake may increase with high physical activity. In such cases, it is better to drink mineral water saturated with essential salts, rather than “empty” distilled water.

The craving of pregnant women for salty foods is completely justified, because the volume of blood begins to increase, and accordingly, the amount of water retained in the cells will increase, which causes slight swelling. You shouldn’t drink diuretics, because they remove many useful substances from the body, and you also don’t need to limit yourself to salt, although within normal limits, of course. By the way, brine is a universal remedy for hangovers and toxicosis: it relieves the urge to vomit.

Losing weight on a salt-free diet will most often turn out to be futile and painful. Not only will you lose a lot of useful substances washed out of the body, but you will also regain all the lost weight quite quickly. Weight loss with this regimen occurs only due to the removal of a certain amount of water, and it is restored very quickly.

But baths with table salt will help cleanse the skin and tone it, which will significantly improve your appearance. It is necessary to carry out a course of 15 procedures for a quarter of an hour daily.

Table salt can be used to treat many diseases. There are a lot of ways, because you can use it both for external use and as a solution for internal use.

We offer you several recipes that can be easily made and used at home:

As you can see, salt in moderation and when used correctly can become a good friend and helper.

Harm of table salt and contraindications

The harm of table salt occurs when it is consumed in excess. It’s better to under-salt your dishes, because you can always add seasoning to taste.

There are several diseases that are a contraindication for consuming table salt in its pure form:

• cardiovascular disorders;
• renal failure;
• inflammatory processes.

Typically, in such cases, a salt-free diet is recommended, from which it is necessary to exclude not only added salt to food, but also foods with an inherently high content of table salt. In case of uncontrolled violation of the regime, the result can even be fatal.

According to experiments, a lethal dose even for a healthy person can be 3 grams of salt per 1 kg of weight, especially in the absence of water. Such an amount of salt can significantly change the composition of the blood and lead to dehydration of its cells and, as a result, disruption of the functioning of red blood cells and the nervous system. And this, in turn, leads to a violation of oxygen saturation and to the death of the cell and the organism as a whole.

You can to some extent avoid excess table salt, replacing the additive with natural spices and herbs, which will also add flavor and piquancy to the dish. Avoid eating marinades, smoked meats, sauces and ready-made seasonings as much as possible. Pay attention to the composition, where the salt content should be indicated.

Treatment with table and sea salt
In an unconventional method, the method of treatment with salt, sodium chloride is the main component in the composition of salt and it is this that determines many of its medicinal properties.

The main indications for the use of salt in treatment are metabolic disorders, dehydration of the body, in which sodium chlorine restores the acid-base balance in the body and the normal level of moisture content. As you know, treatment with table and sea salt is used in many medical solutions that are used for the rehabilitation of patients after operations and severe diseases. In addition, salt helps get rid of cellulite.

For diseases of the musculoskeletal system, salt is most often used for age-related metabolic disorders in joints and bones: arthritis, arthrosis and other diseases. If traditional medicine in such cases uses solutions with a high content of sodium chlorine, then in folk medicine salt baths and rubdowns are recommended.
Salt baths using medicinal plants, which have a special purpose - to calm or tone, are used to get rid of mental disorders, stress, nervous and mental illnesses.
For colds of the ear, throat, and nasopharynx, salt is used for medicinal solutions, heating pads, for preparing rubbing compositions, since salt consists of mineral crystals, with which you can, for example, clear a stuffy nose or remove plaque from a sore throat, etc.
It is known that during the Great Patriotic War, surgeons working in field hospitals applied cotton cloth soaked in a solution of table salt to the wounded’s extensive lacerations. In this way they saved them from gangrene. After 3-4 days the wounds became clean. After this, the patient was put in plaster and sent to a rear hospital. The beneficial effect of saline solution is explained by the fact that it has the ability to absorb fluid from wounds, keeping red blood cells, white blood cells and living blood cells and tissues intact. True, the salt concentration should not exceed 8-10% (2 tsp per 200 g of water). It is used in bandages and in no case in compresses, that is, without the use of cellophane and compress paper.
During the Great Patriotic War, I worked as a senior operating nurse in field hospitals with the wonderful surgeon Ivan Ivanovich Shcheglov, who widely used a hypertonic (i.e. saturated) solution of table salt for damage to bones and joints. On large and dirty wounds, he applied a loose large napkin, abundantly moistened with a hypertonic solution. After 3-4 days, the wound became clean and pink, the temperature dropped to normal, after which a plaster cast was applied. Then the wounded man went to the rear. Thus, we had virtually no deaths.
And so, 10 years after the war, I used Shcheglov’s method, trying to treat caries complicated by granuloma with salt tampons. And I fixed my teeth in two weeks.
After this little luck, I decided to carefully study the effect of a hypertonic solution on closed pathological processes in the body, such as cholecystitis, nephritis, chronic appendicitis, rheumatic carditis, post-flu inflammatory processes in the lungs, articular rheumatism, osteomyelitis, abscess after injections, etc.
Back in 1964, in a clinic under the supervision of an experienced surgeon who diagnosed and selected patients, chronic appendicitis was cured in two patients with saline dressings in 6 days, a shoulder abscess was cured in 9 days without opening, and bursitis of the knee joint was eliminated in 5-6 days. , which did not respond to any means of conservative treatment.
In the same clinic, saline dressings were used to treat a significant hematoma that had formed in the bed of a large artery without rupture of the surface tissue. After 12 days, the hematoma became very dense and took on a cone-shaped shape. The patient began to complain of acute pain at the apex of the cone. The hematoma was opened and a lump of bright red (i.e. completely clean) red blood cells the size of a goose egg was removed from the incision. The subcutaneous diffuse hematoma of the entire lower leg and foot turned yellow after the first bandage, and a day later disappeared altogether.
These facts indicate that the saline solution, having absorbent properties, absorbs only liquid from the tissues and spares red blood cells, leukocytes and living cells of the tissues themselves. Knowing that a hypertonic solution of table salt is a sorbent, I once tried it on myself with a 2-3 degree burn. Desperate to relieve the pain with pharmaceuticals, she applied a salt bandage to the burn. After a minute, the acute pain went away, only a slight burning sensation remained, and after 10-15 minutes I fell asleep peacefully. In the morning there was no pain, and after a few days the burn healed like an ordinary wound.
Here are more examples from practice. Once, during a business trip to the region, I stopped at an apartment where children were suffering from whooping cough. They coughed continuously and debilitatingly. To save the children from suffering, I applied salt bandages to their backs. After an hour and a half, the cough subsided and did not resume until the morning. After four dressings, the disease disappeared without a trace.
A five and a half year old child was poisoned by poor quality food at dinner. At night vomiting began, by the morning there was pain in the stomach, loose stools every 10-15 minutes. The medications didn't help. Around noon I put a salt bandage on his stomach. After an hour and a half, the nausea and diarrhea stopped, the pain gradually decreased, and after five hours all signs of poisoning disappeared.
Having convinced myself of the positive effect of salt dressings on common pathological processes, I decided to use their healing properties to treat tumors. The clinic surgeon invited me to work with a patient who had a cancerous mole on her face. The methods used in such cases by official medicine did not help the woman - after six months of treatment, the mole turned purple, increased in volume, and a gray-brown liquid was released from it. I started using salt stickers. After the first sticker, the tumor paled and shrank, after the second, the result improved even more, and after the fourth sticker, the mole acquired the natural color and appearance that it had before the degeneration. The fifth sticker ended the treatment without surgical intervention.
In 1966, a student came to me with a mammary adenoma. The doctor who diagnosed her recommended surgery. I advised the patient to apply salt dressings to her chest for several days before surgery. The bandages helped - no surgery was required. Six months later, the same girl developed an adenoma of the second mammary gland. However, salt dressings helped avoid surgery this time too. After 9 years, I called my patient. She replied that she successfully graduated from university, felt well, there were no relapses of the disease, and only small lumps on her chest remained as a memory of the adenoma. I think these are purified cells of former tumors, harmless to the body.
At the end of 1969, another woman, a museum researcher, came to me with cancerous tumors of both mammary glands. Her diagnosis and referral for surgery were signed by a professor of medicine. But salt helped again - the tumor resolved without surgery. True, this woman also had lumps at the site of the tumors.
At the end of the same year, I had experience in treating prostate adenoma. The regional hospital strongly recommended surgery for the patient. But he decided to try the salt pads first. After nine procedures, the patient recovered. He is still healthy.
Let me give you another case that I encountered while working in a clinic. For three years, the woman suffered from leukemia - her hemoglobin content in her blood dropped catastrophically. Every 19 days the patient received a blood transfusion, which at least somehow supported her. Having found out that before the illness the patient worked for many years in a shoe factory with chemical dyes, I also understood the cause of the disease - poisoning with subsequent disruption of the hematopoietic function of the bone marrow. And I recommended salt dressings for her, alternating the “blouse” dressing and the “trouser” dressing at night for three weeks. The woman took the advice, and by the end of the treatment cycle, the hemoglobin content in the patient’s blood began to increase. Three months later I met my patient. She was completely healthy.
Having summarized the results of my 25 years of observations on the use of hypertonic table salt solution for medicinal purposes, I came to the following conclusions.
1. 10% solution of table salt – active sorbent. Salt interacts with water not only through direct contact, but also through air, material, and body tissue. When taken inside the body, salt absorbs and retains liquid in cavities and cells, localizing it where it is located. Applied externally (salt dressings), salt establishes contact with tissue fluid and, by suction, absorbs it through the skin and mucous membranes. The volume of liquid absorbed by the bandage is directly proportional to the volume of air displaced from the bandage. Therefore, the effect of a salt dressing depends on how breathable (hygroscopic) it is, which, in turn, depends on the material used for the dressing and its thickness.
2. The salt dressing acts locally: only on the diseased organ, the affected area, penetrating into the depths. As fluid is absorbed from the subcutaneous layer, tissue fluid from deeper layers rises into it, carrying with it pathogenic agents: microbes, viruses, inorganic substances, poisons, etc. Thus, during the action of the bandage, the fluid in the tissues of the diseased organ is renewed and disinfected - cleansing from the pathogenic factor, and therefore eliminating the pathological process. In this case, the tissues act as a kind of filter, allowing microorganisms and substance particles to pass through themselves, having a volume less than the lumen of the intertissue pore.
3. A bandage with a hypertonic solution of table salt is permanent. The therapeutic result is achieved within 7-10 days. In some cases, a longer period is required.
How to apply a saline dressing.
For runny nose and headaches. Make a circular bandage across the forehead and back of the head at night. After an hour or two, the runny nose goes away, and by the morning the headache will disappear.
A headband is good for high blood pressure, tumors, and dropsy. But in case of atherosclerosis, it is better not to apply a bandage - it dehydrates the head even more. For a circular dressing, only 8% saline solution can be used.
For the flu. Apply a bandage to your head at the first sign of illness. If the infection has managed to penetrate the throat and bronchi, make bandages on the head and neck at the same time (from 3-4 layers of soft thin fabric), on the back from two layers of a wet and two layers of a dry towel. Leave the dressings on all night.
For liver diseases (inflammation of the gallbladder, cholecystitis, cirrhosis of the liver). The liver bandage (cotton towel folded in four layers) is applied as follows: in height - from the base of the left mammary gland to the middle of the transverse line of the abdomen, in width - from the sternum and the white line of the abdomen in front to the spine in the back. Bandage tightly with one wide bandage, tighter on the stomach. After 10 hours, remove the bandage and place a hot heating pad on the epigastric region for half an hour in order to, through deep heating, expand the bile duct for the free passage of dehydrated and thickened bile mass into the intestine. Without heating, this mass (after several dressings) clogs the bile duct and can cause acute bursting pain.
For adenomas, mastopathy and breast cancer. Typically, a four-layer, dense but non-compressive saline dressing is used on both breasts. Apply overnight and leave for 8-10 hours. The duration of treatment is 2 weeks, for cancer 3 weeks. In some people, a bandage on the chest can weaken the rhythms of cardiac activity; in this case, apply the bandage every other day.
For diseases of the cervix. Soak cotton swabs in a hypertonic solution, squeeze well and loosen slightly before inserting. Carry out the procedure once a day, leaving the tampons on for 15 hours. For cervical tumors, the treatment period is two weeks.
Conditions for using saline solution.
1. Saline solution can only be used in a bandage, but never in a compress, because the bandage must be breathable.
2. The salt concentration in the solution should not exceed 10%. A bandage made from a solution of higher concentration causes pain in the area of ​​application and destruction of capillaries in the tissues. An 8% solution - 2 teaspoons of table salt per 250 ml of water - is used in dressings for children, 10% for adults - 2 teaspoons of table salt per 200 ml of water. You can take ordinary water, not necessarily distilled.
3. Before treatment, wash your body with warm water and soap, and after the procedure, wash off the salt from your body with a warm, damp towel.
4. The choice of dressing material is very important. It must be hygroscopic and clean, without residues of fat, ointment, alcohol, iodine. The skin of the body should also be clean. For the bandage, it is better to use linen or cotton fabric, but not new, but washed many times. The ideal option is gauze.
5. Linen, cotton material, a towel are folded in no more than 4 layers, gauze - up to 8 layers. Only with an air-permeable bandage is tissue fluid suctioned out.
6. Due to the circulation of solution and air, the dressing causes a cooling sensation. Therefore, the bandage should be soaked with a hot hypertonic solution (60-70 degrees). Before applying the bandage, you can cool it slightly by shaking it in the air.
7. The dressing should be of medium moisture, not very dry, but not too wet. Keep the bandage on the sore spot for 10-15 hours.
8. Nothing should be placed on top of the bandage. To secure the bandage soaked in the solution, you need to bandage it tightly enough to the body: with a wide bandage on the torso, stomach, chest, and a narrow bandage on the fingers, hands, feet, face, head. Bandage the shoulder girdle in a figure eight, through the armpits from the back. In case of pulmonary processes (in case of bleeding, do not apply under any circumstances!) the bandage is placed on the back, trying to get to the sore spot as accurately as possible. The chest should be bandaged tightly, but without squeezing the breath.
From the given fragments of the book about salt, it is clear that salt must be used 1) for healing, 2) locally, otherwise the effect will not be the same. Therefore, swimming in the sea (the whole body is covered in salt) dries out the entire skin, which is why the skin becomes rough. But if you splash around for a few minutes (with obligatory washing with fresh water), or sit on the bank, dipping your feet in the water, it will be just right, because... Toxins will be drawn out of the feet, which, as is known, accumulate in the feet.
Sea salt for acne
Sea salt is one of the simplest and most effective remedies in the fight against such an unpleasant phenomenon as acne. There are several ways to use this amazing anti-acne salt, of course, all of them involve external use only.
You can make lotions from a solution of sea salt. To do this, take one teaspoon of the drug per two hundred milliliters of slightly warmed water. After the usual morning and evening cleansing of the skin of the face or parts of the body covered with acne, you should irrigate your face with salt water. Leave to dry and wash off only after thirty minutes. Such procedures can be performed daily without restrictions.
If acne covers more than just the face, then sea salt can be used for bathing. Half a kilogram of salt goes into the bath. It should be taken within a quarter of an hour. The water in the bathroom should be at a temperature of thirty-seven degrees. If you take a similar bath every day, the acne can go away quite quickly.

Table salt is sodium chloride used as a food additive and food preservative. It is also used in the chemical industry and medicine. It serves as the most important raw material for the production of caustic soda, soda and other substances. The formula for table salt is NaCl.

Formation of an ionic bond between sodium and chlorine

The chemical composition of sodium chloride is reflected by the conventional formula NaCl, which gives an idea of ​​the equal number of sodium and chlorine atoms. But the substance is not formed by diatomic molecules, but consists of crystals. When an alkali metal reacts with a strong nonmetal, each sodium atom gives up the more electronegative chlorine. Sodium cations Na + and anions of the acidic residue of hydrochloric acid Cl - appear. Oppositely charged particles attract each other, forming a substance with an ionic crystal lattice. Small sodium cations are located between large chloride anions. The number of positive particles in the composition of sodium chloride is equal to the number of negative ones; the substance as a whole is neutral.

Chemical formula. Table salt and halite

Salts are complex substances of ionic structure, the names of which begin with the name of the acidic residue. The formula for table salt is NaCl. Geologists call a mineral of this composition “halite,” and a sedimentary rock “rock salt.” An outdated chemical term that is often used in manufacturing is “sodium chloride.” This substance has been known to people since ancient times; it was once considered “white gold”. Modern schoolchildren and students, when reading reaction equations involving sodium chloride, use chemical symbols (“sodium chlorine”).

Let's carry out simple calculations using the formula of the substance:

1) Mr (NaCl) = Ar (Na) + Ar (Cl) = 22.99 + 35.45 = 58.44.

The relative value is 58.44 (in amu).

2) Molar mass is numerically equal to molecular weight, but this quantity has units of measurement g/mol: M (NaCl) = 58.44 g/mol.

3) A 100 g sample of salt contains 60.663 g of chlorine atoms and 39.337 g of sodium.

Physical properties of table salt

Fragile halite crystals are colorless or white. In nature, there are also deposits of rock salt, colored grey, yellow or blue. Sometimes the mineral substance has a red tint, which is due to the types and amount of impurities. The hardness of halite is only 2-2.5, glass leaves a line on its surface.

Other physical parameters of sodium chloride:

• smell - absent;
• taste - salty;
• density - 2.165 g/cm3 (20 °C);
• melting point - 801 °C;
• boiling point - 1413 °C;
• solubility in water - 359 g/l (25 °C);

Preparation of sodium chloride in the laboratory

When metallic sodium reacts with chlorine gas in a test tube, a white substance is formed - sodium chloride NaCl (formula of table salt).

Chemistry provides insight into different ways of producing the same compound. Here are some examples:

NaOH (aq) + HCl = NaCl + H 2 O.

Redox reaction between a metal and an acid:

2Na + 2HCl = 2NaCl + H2.

Effect of acid on metal oxide: Na 2 O + 2HCl (aq) = 2NaCl + H 2 O

Displacement of a weak acid from a solution of its salt by a stronger one:

Na 2 CO 3 + 2HCl (aq) = 2NaCl + H 2 O + CO 2 (gas).

All these methods are too expensive and complex for use on an industrial scale.

Production of table salt

Even at the dawn of civilization, people knew that salting meat and fish lasts longer. Transparent, regularly shaped halite crystals were used in some ancient countries instead of money and were worth their weight in gold. The search and development of halite deposits made it possible to satisfy the growing needs of the population and industry. The most important natural sources of table salt:

• deposits of the mineral halite in different countries;
• water of seas, oceans and salt lakes;
• layers and crusts of rock salt on the banks of salty reservoirs;
• halite crystals on the walls of volcanic craters;
• salt marshes.

The industry uses four main methods for producing table salt:

• leaching of halite from the underground layer, evaporation of the resulting brine;
• mining in ;
• evaporation or brine of salt lakes (77% of the mass of the dry residue is sodium chloride);
• using a by-product of salt water desalination.

Chemical properties of sodium chloride

In terms of its composition, NaCl is an average salt formed by an alkali and a soluble acid. Sodium chloride is a strong electrolyte. The attraction between ions is so strong that only highly polar solvents can break it. In water, the substance disintegrates, cations and anions (Na +, Cl -) are released. Their presence is due to the electrical conductivity possessed by a solution of table salt. The formula in this case is written in the same way as for dry matter - NaCl. One of the qualitative reactions to the sodium cation is the yellow color of the burner flame. To obtain the result of the experiment, you need to collect a little solid salt on a clean wire loop and add it to the middle part of the flame. The properties of table salt are also associated with the peculiarity of the anion, which consists in a qualitative reaction to the chloride ion. When interacting with silver nitrate, a white precipitate of silver chloride precipitates in the solution (photo). Hydrogen chloride is displaced from the salt by stronger acids than hydrochloric acid: 2NaCl + H 2 SO 4 = Na 2 SO 4 + 2HCl. Under normal conditions, sodium chloride does not undergo hydrolysis.

Areas of application of rock salt

Sodium chloride lowers the melting point of ice, so in winter a mixture of salt and sand is used on roads and sidewalks. It absorbs a large amount of impurities and, when melting, pollutes rivers and streams. Road salt also accelerates the corrosion process of car bodies and damages trees planted next to roads. In the chemical industry, sodium chloride is used as a raw material for the production of a large group of chemicals:

• of hydrochloric acid;
• sodium metal;
• chlorine gas;
• caustic soda and other compounds.

In addition, table salt is used in the production of soap and dyes. It is used as a food antiseptic for canning and pickling mushrooms, fish and vegetables. To combat thyroid dysfunction in the population, the table salt formula is enriched by adding safe iodine compounds, for example, KIO 3, KI, NaI. Such supplements support the production of thyroid hormone and prevent endemic goiter.

The importance of sodium chloride for the human body

The formula of table salt, its composition has acquired vital importance for human health. Sodium ions are involved in the transmission of nerve impulses. Chlorine anions are necessary for the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach. But too much salt in food can lead to high blood pressure and an increased risk of developing heart and vascular diseases. In medicine, when there is a large blood loss, patients are given physiological saline solution. To obtain it, 9 g of sodium chloride are dissolved in one liter of distilled water. The human body needs a continuous supply of this substance from food. Salt is excreted through the excretory organs and skin. The average sodium chloride content in the human body is approximately 200 g. Europeans consume about 2-6 g of table salt per day; in hot countries this figure is higher due to higher sweating.

Salt is a food product used by people to add a more refined taste to cooked dishes. It is most often found in ground form - small white crystals. Table salt of natural origin often contains admixtures of various mineral salts, giving it different shades, most often gray. It is produced in all kinds of forms - unrefined and purified, finely or coarsely ground, pure, sea, iodized and many others.

According to production methods, salt is evaporated, rock and cage (sea). Rock salt is mined in mines and quarries. It includes a considerable amount of impurities of earth and sand. Mineral impurities are not removed from the body, so rock salt is considered not entirely beneficial for the human body.

Evaporated salt is also mined from underground, but it has the form of a salty solution, which is then boiled down to obtain salt. It has the saltiest taste, is pure and contains no impurities. But it also does not contain useful minerals.

Sea salt is obtained by evaporating sea salt water from various lakes. It does not undergo a purification process, and thanks to this it retains all the minerals inherent in it by nature. Sea salt is not as salty, but is healthier for the human body, as it contains up to forty micro- and macroelements.

Salt is classified into grades: extra, highest, first, second. There is also artificially enriched salt with minerals. For example, iodized. There is usually enough iodine in it, but it disappears very quickly. As a healthier alternative, manufacturers produce sea salt with kelp. Dried, crushed seaweed retains persistent organic iodine compounds for a long time.

How to choose

When choosing salt in a store, carefully study the packaging and pay attention to:

• origin of salt;
• grade and grind;
• information about adding nutrients;
• the presence of chemical additives that prevent clumping;
• recommendation for daily use (no more than 5-6 grams per day);
• name, telephone number and address of the enterprise.

How to store

Table salt should be stored only in a dry place, in any glass or ceramic container. It is advisable to place the jar in a cupboard near the stove, this will protect the salt from moisture. Be sure to tightly close the dishes, then the salt will not form lumps and cake.

If the salt becomes damp, add 10% potato flour to it, then it will remain dry no matter the humidity. A small amount of starch will not affect the color and taste of the salt. You can also add a few grains of rice to the salt shaker, or put a couple of sheets of blotting paper on the bottom of the container with salt.

Reflection in culture

In Japan, they sprinkle salt on the sumo wrestling platform, which they believe wards off evil spirits.

Thousands of years ago, salt was so expensive that wars were fought over it. In the 16th century, the Salt Riot occurred in Russia, which was caused by the highest prices for salt. And today, salt is the cheapest known food additive, not counting water.

Calorie content of salt

This may be news and surprise to many, but salt has no calories, just like water. Accordingly, the calorie content of salt is 0 kcal. Why then is salt, like sugar, called dangerous if their calorie content is absolutely opposite?

The thing is that excessive salt consumption can not only put on extra pounds, but also lead to a disease such as obesity. Salt helps retain excess fluid in the body, stimulates hunger and consumption of fatty and sweet foods. Such nutrition is far from correct and unbalanced. Everything should be in moderation.

Nutritional value per 100 grams:

Beneficial properties of salt

Composition and presence of nutrients

Salt is a mineral substance - sodium chloride with a small amount of useful mineral salts. Often these are: magnesium, calcium, zinc, iron, copper, manganese, potassium, phosphorus, molybdenum, sulfur, cobalt.

Sodium is one of the main cations that is very necessary for the implementation of the most important functions of the body. About half of all sodium in our body is found in extracellular fluid, 40% in cartilage and bones, and 10% in cells. Sodium is also found in blood, bile, pancreatic juice, cerebrospinal fluid, and human milk.

Sodium also takes part in maintaining the acid-base balance, water-salt metabolism, and ensures the balance of osmotic pressure. It is also necessary for the high-quality functioning of nerve endings, muscle activity, transmission of nerve impulses, and for the absorption of certain nutrients by the intestines and kidneys.

Chlorine is involved in the formation of substances that promote the breakdown of fats. It is also necessary in the formation of the main component of gastric juice - hydrochloric acid. Chlorine stimulates the central nervous and reproductive systems, takes care of the removal of urea from the body, and promotes the formation and growth of bone tissue.

Salt is a vital element for people suffering from type 1 diabetes. This is due to the ability of salt to regulate blood sugar levels, thereby reducing the need for insulin.

To get the benefits of salt, you should use natural, unrefined salt. It is imperative to remember that fine table salt does not contain beneficial minerals.

But do not forget that salt is useful only in moderate, recommended quantities.

Useful and healing properties

Salt has a complex effect on the digestive system, which increases vitality. It, as mentioned above, contains a considerable amount of water-soluble nutrients, important trace elements and minerals. A small amount of salt in the diet makes asthma attacks less frequent in asthmatics.

Salt contains selenium, a trace element with remarkable antioxidant properties. It serves as a protector of cells from destructive destruction by free radicals.

With the help of salt, harmful substances are removed from the body. It copes remarkably well with poisoning, as it slows down the process of absorption of toxic substances by the intestinal mucosa, and also delays their entry into the blood. Salt is involved in the body's fight against radiation and other harmful radiation. It is also a source of formation of hydrochloric acid in the gastric juice, which has a beneficial effect on the digestion of food and kills microbes.

In cooking

In cooking, salt is used in the preparation of almost all dishes, as one of the most important seasonings. It has a characteristic taste, which makes it easy to determine its excess or deficiency in a particular dish. Food that is under-salted seems bland, and food that is over-salted cannot be consumed at all. Table salt has antiseptic properties, which allow it to be used in canning and salting fish and meat for long-term storage.

In cosmetology

Salt is often used in cosmetology. It is added to creams, gels, shampoos, scrubs. This makes it possible to restore the mineral balance in the skin. The abrasiveness of salt helps open pores and cleanse the skin of dead cells. Therefore, it is often used during peeling to make the skin silky.

Table salt rich in vitamins and minerals such as: calcium - 36.8%, chlorine - 2595.2%, iron - 16.1%, cobalt - 150%, manganese - 12.5%, copper - 27.1%, molybdenum - 157.1%

What are the benefits of table salt?

• Calcium is the main component of our bones, acts as a regulator of the nervous system, and is involved in muscle contraction. Calcium deficiency leads to demineralization of the spine, pelvic bones and lower extremities, increasing the risk of developing osteoporosis.
• Chlorine necessary for the formation and secretion of hydrochloric acid in the body.
• Iron is part of proteins of various functions, including enzymes. Participates in the transport of electrons and oxygen, ensures the occurrence of redox reactions and activation of peroxidation. Insufficient consumption leads to hypochromic anemia, myoglobin deficiency atony of skeletal muscles, increased fatigue, myocardiopathy, and atrophic gastritis.
• Cobalt is part of vitamin B12. Activates enzymes of fatty acid metabolism and folic acid metabolism.
• Manganese participates in the formation of bone and connective tissue, is part of enzymes involved in the metabolism of amino acids, carbohydrates, catecholamines; necessary for the synthesis of cholesterol and nucleotides. Insufficient consumption is accompanied by slower growth, disturbances in the reproductive system, increased fragility of bone tissue, and disturbances in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism.
• Copper is part of enzymes that have redox activity and are involved in iron metabolism, stimulates the absorption of proteins and carbohydrates. Participates in the processes of providing oxygen to the tissues of the human body. Deficiency is manifested by disturbances in the formation of the cardiovascular system and skeleton, and the development of connective tissue dysplasia.
• Molybdenum is a cofactor for many enzymes that ensure the metabolism of sulfur-containing amino acids, purines and pyrimidines.

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You can see a complete guide to the most useful products in the appendix.