Salt has an interesting reputation. No one would deny its ability to make things delicious, but it’s also something that you see people avoiding every day.
It’s true that excessive salt can lead to health problems, but what if there were some benefits to salt you weren’t aware of?
We’d wager there are a few: here are five reasons salt has a (healthy) home in your diet.
You Need it To Function
Salt plays a role in many bodily functions. It helps you, perhaps ironically, regulate blood pressure. It’s also essential for proper nerve and muscle function. Without enough sodium, the body can suffer from dehydration or even confusion. Enjoying salt in moderation ensures you keep your electrolytes well-balanced, which is important for everyone—not just athletes or runners—to keep you moving through life.
It Tastes Great
We can’t ignore the elephant in the room: salt is basically a must if you want your food to taste good. Even baked goods don’t get away without using a pinch of salt to help bring out some flavors. Because it’s not just about making something taste salty; it’s about using it to balance your flavors properly. Many dishes are unsuccessful simply because a cook held back on adding enough salt. So if you don’t want to eat bland, uninspired food, it’s important to embrace salt as a necessary part of making food taste good.
It Can Preserve Your Food
One of salt’s many uses has been as a preservative. Cultures have been using it for centuries, long before we could simply leave stuff in the fridge. They would use it to preserve meat, fish, and vegetables so they didn’t go bad. Salting food naturally discourages bacterial growth. And while we have refrigeration and freezing at our disposal right in our homes, it’s still a vital part of preserving foods. Cured meats, pickled vegetables, and fermented products like kimchi are all made possible thanks to a healthy dose of salt.
It’s a Source of Essential Minerals
Salt doesn’t just contain sodium. Sea salt or Himalayan pink salt have minerals like magnesium, potassium, calcium, and iron. So not only is salt a must for bodily functions, it also delivers other essential nutrients that help facilitate bone health, muscle function, and so much more! Granted, the amount it contributes to your daily recommended amount of these minerals is small, but it’s still something to fleur-de-sel-ebrate!
It Helps With Hydration
Many people believe salt can make you dehydrated. But more often than not, it does the opposite; as long as you consume it in moderation, it helps regulate the amount of water in and around your cells. This is particularly important if you’re going out in warm weather or doing a lot of physical activity. This is when you lose the most fluids through sweat, so adding a pinch of salt to meals, snacks, or even a beverage can help replenish your electrolytes. Just remember not to go overboard—consuming too much salt and not enough water will have the complete opposite effect.
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