SALT IN OUR FOOD AND HEALTH
Common salt also known chemically as sodium chloride is an ionic compound comprising 40 percent sodium molecule and 60 percent chloride. It has been widely known and used in many cultures since ancient times and for a long time influenced the political economy of the world because of its scarcity. Over the years salt has been extracted from seawater, mineral deposits, surface encrustations, saline lakes, and brine springs to satisfy the dietary, and industrial needs of man. The persistent excessive salt intake prevalent in modern societies has been linked to several health risks, especially high blood pressure, which alone accounts for about 9.4 million global deaths annually. Health authorities have therefore advised the drastic reduction in salt intake through the use of low sodium salt substitutes and other approaches. The potassium-rich vegetal salts used traditionally in many societies in the preparation of a variety of foods are receiving global attention as possible low-sodium salt substitutes. This book presents a body of information on the history, and the nexus of salt in human diet and health is written in a simple, and understandable format, with the goal being to simplify the available technical research information on the subject for the benefit of the general public. It is hoped that the readers will find the information contained in this book useful, both for making nutritional and health choices.