Salt is essential to life and good health.  Salt works with water in our bodies to provide critical bodily functions and chemical reactions – metabolism, transportation of nutrients, and promotion of digestion.  Our bodies cannot manufacture salt, but rather they process salt from the foods that we eat.  Some foods – sweet, salty and fatty – people, crave from birth. 

Our bodies are designed to crave these foods to derive energy and essential nutrients from them.  The satisfying taste of a salty french fry, potato chip, or pretzel allows our bodies to consume sufficient amounts of sodium and chloride.  Manufacturers know this and add sugar, salt and fat to almost all their foods to hook us in.  The problem is that our instinctive liking of these flavors can lead to drastic overeating of these foods and cause serious health issues.

Almost all the health experts agree that Americans should consume less than 2,400 mg of salt per day – about a teaspoon – yet the average American consumes approximately 4,000 mg of sodium daily.  Unfortunately, salt is added to almost every processed or refined food, and is found in large quantities in fast food.  Americans cannot avoid salt.

Salt is found in:

• Snacks
• Cereals
• Cheese
• Sauces
• Canned soups
• Frozen food
• Salad dressings

Diets high in sodium are a significant cause of high blood pressure or hypertension.  These diets also increase the risk of stroke, heart attack and cancer.  You need to do whatever you can to minimize your salt intake.

There are many kinds of salt.  Natural salts have different mineral composites, which give each salt a unique flavor, and have launched a gourmet trend in the U.S. for different kinds of salt.  Sea salt is bitter due to its magnesium and calcium compounds, but is very popular with healthy-minded people.

	melsBuzz If you going to have salt, buy some special or unique kind of salt

	melsAdvice Some traditional brands of soup contain 1,000 mg or more of sodium in an eight-ounce can.  Do whatever you can to avoid these brands.  Shame on them. Make your own salad dressings Cream will whip better if you add a pinch of salt If a recipe calls for a teaspoon of salt, add a pinch or salt or less Salt is essential in cooking and baking to bring out of the flavors

	DidYouKnow? Celtic sea salt is used for many medicinal uses, including acidity balance, restoring good digestion, preventing some kinds of cancer, and boosting cellular energy Celtic sea salt is the lowest in sodium content of all retail salts and contains the most beneficial elements of any salt Most salt in our diets come from processed, refined and fast foods Fruits & veggies are nearly salt-free Each one of our body’s 92 essential minerals is found in the ocean

	melsTips Never salt your food.  If you are in the habit, instead of salt, add pepper Try cooking at home more often to avoid eating out Read labels.  Some frozen food at Whole Foods, health food stores and Trader Joes have low sodium content Use pepper, basil, thyme, or garlic powder instead of salt while preparing foods Buy whole grain snacks that are low in sodium

	melsQuiz Human salt consumption accounts for only ___% of total salt consumption Towns founded in “lick,” “wich,” and “saal” are towns that were founded because of? Why is magnesium removed from common table salt? Since ancient times, salt has been used for______, _____ and _____. Why is rice used in some salt shakers?

	melsQuiz Answers 7% Salt availability So the salt can flow smoother Dietary purposes, as a preservative, a medium of exchange, or a source of tax revenue Absorb moisture