Everybody knows what salt is—a white, fine, and grainy compound produced by the sea or culled from brine and rock salt deposits. This naturally occurring mineral is an important component of the human body, making up about 0.4 percent of our body’s weight.
Salt makes delectable meals possible, giving them a more distinct flavor. But do you know that salt can provide a slew of other health benefits, too?
More than being a culinary fixture, salt can be used in healing the body or making ourselves feel good. In fact, high quality natural Epsom salt is effective in promoting relaxation, as well as easing muscle pains and inflammation. This mineral is also used in many household and everyday products.
This article explores the many benefits and applications of salt in our daily lives.
Salt as a Flavor Enhancer
Delicious meals are made possible only with the use of salt and other flavor-enhancing spices. Take for instance this lemon and thyme salt recipe that you only have to sprinkle over chicken or fish barbeque for increased mouthwatering goodness. Best of all, this flavor-rich preparation can retain its freshness for up to six months.
More than enhancing flavor, we need a bit of salt in our dishes to fulfill our body’s basic needs. Why? Because our body cannot produce its own, and need to depend on external sources to supply salt needed by our body.
Until recently, though, salt has received a lot of flak for setting off several health problems such as heart disease and high blood pressure or hypertension, which are among the leading causes of deaths worldwide. So, it’s always prudent to consume salt sparingly.
Salt as a Food Preserver
Our ancestors have been using salt to keep food fresh prior to the advent of refrigerators and other food-preserving equipment.
This kitchen staple helps avoid food spoilage by drawing out water from the food or dehydrating it, preventing bacteria from growing and proliferating. In addition, since too much salt is toxic to microbes, it leaves the latter no chance to thrive either.
With today’s fast-paced environment, workers and businessmen prefer to consume ready-to-eat meals because they don’t have time to cook. These types of food are packed with preservatives to keep them fresh until they’re consumed. One of the main ingredients of these ready-to-eat meals is, as you may have guessed correctly, salt.
Salt as Skin Beautifier
Salt is a natural exfoliant, able to slough off dead skin cells. Besides revealing younger and glowing skin, salt contains minerals that can soothe and soften skin at the same time. So, using it on your skin is like hitting two (or more) birds with one stone.
Salt as Skin Healer
Salt is also capable of opening up your pores and letting out trapped toxins and other irritants, which most often cause irritated and itchy skin.
Psoriasis and eczema are two of the most common skin problems that may be alleviated by the use of salt. Psoriasis is a chronic condition manifested by red and silvery patches on your skin due to inflammation and rapid cell build up. Eczema on the other hand, is a form of allergy to various irritants.
Using dry salt on the affected skin increases good bacteria, stimulates cell repair, and exfoliation.
Salt as Body Pain Reliever
Epsom salts are used to treat various types of body aches and muscle soreness. When dissolved in warm bath water, Epsom salts can penetrate the skin and calm the nerves, relieving painful and sore areas in the process.
Salt for Stress-Relief
It seems that submerging yourself in a warm tub filled with salt bathwater has endless benefits. Aside from relieving pain, it can also reduce stress by enhancing the body’s production of endorphins. Also aptly called the happy hormones, endorphins can alleviate depression by stirring happy and positive thoughts in an individual.
Besides using salt, there are other emerging trends in keeping yourself stress-free and healthy.
Salt to Alleviate Inflammation
Skin infections and other forms of irritation—such as cuts, scrapes, rashes, and insect bites—may be relieved by saltwater application. As the water evaporates, salt is left behind and sticks to the surface of the irritated skin cells, leaving moisture out and drawing away bacteria until the wound is dried up.
Besides skin inflammation, saltwater baths may also be effective for inflammatory conditions such as arthritis.
Salt as a Product Additive
Salt is also used in various industry applications, and the chemical industry is perhaps the highest consumer of salt. Common household products like caustic soda and chlorine count salt as a raw material. Chlorine, which is an effective disinfectant, is most useful in these times as the world battles against the coronavirus pandemic.
Salt is also used as an additive for petroleum and dyes.
Salt as an Industrial Bleach and Cleaner
You won’t be able to get a hold of smooth, soft, and pure-white tissue paper if not for this compound. The pulp and paper industries rely mainly on salt for bleaching and washing paper products, including your trusty all-around wiper.
The fashion industry benefits from salt as well, with it being an important component in essential procedures such as leather tanning, wool and cotton dyeing, and other textile bleaching.
Conclusion
You may not be aware of it, but there’s more to using salt that meets the tongue. Apart from being a kitchen must-have, salt can also be used in treating physical issues and improving your overall wellbeing.
