Iodized salt: benefits and harms

Salt is one of the most indispensable products that is always present on the table. No culinary dish is complete without it. You cannot taste the food without salt. Nowadays, in stores you can find a huge variety of salt: black, ordinary table, iodized, seasoned, sea, even diet. With such a large selection, it is important to know which one is useful, and not just beautiful with its packaging and the qualities listed on it.

When choosing salt, first of all, you need to pay attention not only to the fact that it is one of the oldest spices in the world, which enhances taste, but also to the importance of obtaining necessary and important trace elements with it by the human body. And one of such important elements is iodine, which is now present in many varieties of salt. Doctors categorically argue that all the salt that is used in food and cooking should be iodized. Only in this case can the deficiency of iodine so necessary in the body be compensated for, especially in those regions where a large number of people are exposed to diseases associated with its absence.

There is always a lot of debate around iodized salt, especially about the dangers and benefits of an additionally enriched product. To form your own opinion, you need to understand the issue on each side of it.

What is the difference between iodized salt and ordinary

Iodized salt is a common food seasoning with the addition of additional iodine-containing salts. In Russia, two types of addition are most often used: potassium iodide or potassium iodate.

The main difference between ordinary table salt and iodized salt is the addition of iodine to the trace element. Scientists are unanimous in their opinion that iodized salt is needed for daily use. And the usual, familiar seasoning is more suitable for canning - cooking marinades, pickles, as well as baking. It is believed that when heated to a temperature of 98 ° C, iodine evaporates. Therefore, the use of iodized salt for dishes that require heat treatment is inefficient.

Which is more useful

Plain salt is a natural flavor enhancer. To understand its importance in cooking, it is enough to salt the dish. It will seem fresh, boring without it, because it is important not only to satisfy hunger, but also to enjoy the consumption of food.

The chemical component of salt, sodium chloride, plays an important role in the proper functioning of the whole organism. It maintains the state of intercellular fluid, promotes the balance of water in the blood. Without this trace element, it is impossible to maintain a normal level of blood pressure. One of the main functions of salt is to participate in the construction of cell membranes in the human body. Fluid retention, support for the colloidal state of the body - this is the main work of sodium chloride. Salt has an effect on enhancing contractions of the smooth muscles of the intestines, thus normalizing the problems of the intestines, constipation.

There are several main advantages of using iodine-rich salt:

1. Iodized salt with constant use has a beneficial effect on the whole body. Iodine intake is important for better thyroid function.The lack of this element can cause medical health problems such as an enlarged thyroid gland, hypothyroidism, and the appearance of adenoma.
2. Iodine accumulates in the body. The main effect of the mineral is to support metabolism, including through the active production of hormones located in the thyroid gland. With a lack of hormones, such alarming symptoms appear as weakness, fatigue, constant drowsiness.
3. Once in the human body, iodized salt destroys harmful bacteria and microbes in the gastrointestinal tract.
4. Enriched salt is actively involved in the production of hydrochloric acid, and also increases the secretion of bronchial glands.
5. The product prevents the dehydration of the body, and also due to trace elements helps maintain skin turgor.
6. The constant use of iodized salt helps to avoid brittle nails.

Composition and calorie content

The calorie content of iodine-rich edible salt is 0 calories per 100 g of product.

The substances contained in it are the most necessary minerals in the human body:

• potassium - needed for intracellular pressure;
• calcium - necessary for bones, regulates the processes of the nervous system;
• chlorine - important for the formation of hydrochloric acid;
• iron - prevents anemia;
• cobalt - activates folic acid metabolism;
• Manganese - helps the formation of bone and connective tissue;
• copper - is involved in providing cells with oxygen, helps to form hemoglobin;
• iodine - necessary for the functioning of the thyroid gland, the production of hormones.

What is useful iodized salt

General benefit

The use of iodized salt can act as an additional aid to the main treatment for a large number of diseases. These are pathologies associated with the thyroid gland, gastric ulcer, hypertension, nervous breakdowns, memory problems. So, seasoning, used as salt solutions, perfectly complements the main drug treatment of certain diseases, and is also widely used in folk medicine.

1. Compresses are widely used after surgery to reduce swelling and as a bactericidal dressing for suppuration.
2. Salt rinsing is popular with colds - tonsillitis, sore throat.
3. If you put a bandage moistened with saline on your forehead, the headache will go away.
4. A warm salt compress located in the bronchial region helps in the treatment of flu and cough.
5. A solution of iodized salt heals microcracks on the skin, relieves inflammation.

For women

Iodized salt is a very useful product for women. After all, it perfectly helps to improve the work of the body not only inside, but also outside. Seasoning is of great help with the following symptoms:

• persistent chronic fatigue,
• drowsiness,
• thinning and hair loss,
• dryness and peeling of the skin,
• stratification and fragility of nails.

It is advisable to take a salt enriched with iodine every day, but within the framework of the norm of acceptance. The permissible rate of use is 5-6 g per day.

For men

Russian doctors also note the properties of salt, which have a beneficial effect on the male body. The iodine contained in the product helps maintain good physical activity, and also promotes the stamina of men. Trace elements that are part of iodized salt are necessary for the prevention of psychiatric disorders, improve the state of stress, have a positive effect on memory problems and concentration. The recommended minimum daily intake for men is 1 teaspoon.

During pregnancy

Consumption of iodized salt is also necessary for pregnant women. A lack of iodine in a future mother can negatively affect health in the future, and the entire period of pregnancy will be overshadowed by unpleasant symptoms. This is increased nervousness, constant fatigue, fatigue, tachycardia. But there are more serious consequences that can occur with a lack of iodine in the female body.This is the danger of a miscarriage, the birth of a baby with congenital pathologies - dumbness, squint, deafness, mental retardation, neurological diseases, delayed physical development.

When breastfeeding

Modern claims say that salt retains water, increases the possibility of edema, and can also cause clogging of the ducts, which leads to the fact that excess fluid will begin to accumulate in the body, and this will affect a decrease in the amount of breast milk. Despite this, a young mother during lactation does not need to abandon the use of salt. This ensures the normal functioning of her body.

It is important in the first months to reduce the consumption of salty foods, to abandon fast food, smoked, canned foods. Such food causes not only dehydration, constant thirst, but also can adversely affect the health of the child. Perhaps the appearance of allergic rashes on the baby's body, as well as the development of food allergies.

The use of iodized salt favorably affects the psychological state of a nursing mother. Fatigue and nervousness, which are natural during this period of time, are reduced. Iodine, supplied with salt, has a beneficial effect on the whole body, helping the gastrointestinal tract, and controls the formation of thyroid hormones.

For kids

For a child’s growing body, a trace element such as iodine is important. Children who use the necessary amount of trace elements have a greater mental and physical development than peers who are deprived of it. At an early age, the disease of iodine deficiency can cause fatigue, a depressed mental state with constant tearfulness, moodiness, and the inability to focus on one action.

But doctors are categorical in their opinion - you can add this seasoning to children's dishes only starting from 1.5 years. Up to this age, a small child is quite enough salt, which comes with natural foods. In babies, the need for salt is much less than in adults. Up to a year, they receive it from breast milk, fully satisfying the required daily dose. If the child is on artificial feeding, then all modern mixtures are completely balanced for each age category. As you grow older, complementary foods are introduced in store cans of mashed potatoes with vegetables, meat, fruits that do not differ in a pronounced taste, they do not have salt and additional flavoring additives.

When losing weight

Salt enriched with iodine is useful in losing weight. It will not give the instant effect of weight reduction, since its main function is to retain water in the human body. But the controlled consumption of seasoning during the period of weight loss brings tangible benefits:

1. It speeds up the metabolism.
2. Helps maintain balance in the intestinal microflora, destroying harmful microorganisms and bacteria.
3. It is useful for the nervous system (diet is always stress for the whole body).
4. It is necessary for the full functioning of the thyroid gland.
5. Reduces fatigue during physical exertion.
6. It has a positive effect in cases of impaired intestinal function (signs of irritable bowel disease include flatulence, allergic skin rashes, constipation, inflammation of the oral mucosa, swollen lymph nodes, and pain in the lower abdomen).

Can i rinse my nose with iodized salt

Rinsing the nose with saline is a procedure well known to more than one generation, which refers to the traditional recipes of traditional medicine in the treatment of the common cold.Usually the effectiveness of this procedure is immediately noticeable at the first wash. The benefits of using saline solutions are obvious:

1. Supports the functioning of the respiratory system.
2. Cleanses the nasal cavity.
3. Helps eliminate edema.
4. It disinfects the nasal cavity (iodine in saline also helps to relieve inflammation from microcracks, small wounds that appear during an exacerbation of the disease).
5. Reduces the number of causative agents of the common cold, reduces the time needed for treatment.

Iodine contained in saline is also an excellent antibacterial and serves as an additional positive component in the treatment of rhinitis and bacterial sinusitis.

Application in cosmetology

Iodized salt is widely used in cosmetology. The combined composition of iodine and salt, due to its natural properties, which have anti-inflammatory and bactericidal effects, makes it possible to bring the skin into perfect shape, save it from peeling, and strengthen hair and nails. You can use several beauty recipes using iodized salt for practical use:

Salt bath

Dilute 750 g of salt in the bath. Reception of a salt bath - up to 20 minutes. It is important to remember that for the effectiveness of the procedure, the water should not be hot, the maximum temperature is 40 ° C. Regular intake of a salt bath gives two positive effects - the skin becomes more elastic and resilient, pores are cleansed, small peeling disappears. And also the salt procedure has a beneficial effect on the nervous excitability of a person and acts as an antistress.

Home soap

Own soap based on iodized salt can cope not only with the sheen of oily skin, but also remove black acne from the face. For cooking, you need to take baby soap without aromatic additives, grate finely, then add 250 ml of distilled water, cook in a saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. After obtaining a homogeneous consistency, put borax powder, purchased in a pharmacy, in the amount of 1 teaspoon. Add 4 tablespoons of salt. Mix everything with a mixer. You can also drip a few drops of essential oil. Allow the soap to harden.

Lotion

Cleansing lotion will help not only remove excess shine from the face, but also fights black acne and does not dry the skin. To produce lotion at home, you need to mix glycerin and vodka in equal amounts. To them add salt in the amount of 2 teaspoons. It is better to store the lotion in a dark place, use 2 times a day, wipe the face with a cotton pad.

Anti-cellulite treatments

Iodized salt is excellent for the prevention and control of cellulite. After taking a bath, pour iodized salt on a hard sponge, then rub the problem areas thoroughly with massage movements for about 10-15 minutes. For a stronger effect, add a few drops of citrus essential oils - orange or lemon to the salt. For the best effect, repeat the procedure twice a week.

Hair Mask

Mix 2 tbsp banana and iodized salt. Grind the mass to a puree state. Apply to dried wet hair. Wrap with a towel, withstand the composition on the hair for about an hour. Rinse off further.

Bath for nails

Baths with the addition of salt for nails can not only improve the condition of nails. They prevent brittleness, having a bactericidal effect, heal microcracks, give the hands a well-groomed appearance. They are not difficult to do at all: you need to take a small container with non-hot water, add iodized salt. Lower your hands for 10-15 minutes. Then wipe dry with a towel, apply cream on hands.

Slimming bath

Iodized salt is widely used as an additional component in the process of combating excess weight. Effective slimming baths with a mixture of salt and soda. The mixture is made up of equal amounts of 100-150 g. The duration of a bath is no more than 20 minutes.

The use of iodized salt in cooking

Salt enriched with iodine is used everywhere in cooking.It is usually used in the preparation of everyday cold dishes, salads. Adding seasoning to the composition of the food affects the irritation of the taste buds of the body, helps a person enjoy every piece of food.

With the advent of the use of iodized salt, various types of product using additives began to appear on store shelves. At the moment, these types are more common:

1. Salt. It is artificially enriched with trace elements of iodine.
2. Sea iodized salt. It is obtained by evaporation of sea water. Seasoning is rich in trace elements without artificial chemical additives.
3. Black. This salt is unrefined. It has in its composition a large number of macrocells.
4. Dietary. It chemically reduced the amount of sodium chloride. It is distinguished by the addition of calcium and magnesium.
5. Salt can be conditionally divided into several options:
6. Coarse grinding. It is used more often in the preparation of first courses, fresh chopped vegetables.
7. Medium grinding. Salt is added to all dishes. Ideal for meat, fish.
8. Fine grinding. It is used for salting salads.

Can I use for salting

Preserving foods using iodized salt is possible. There is a popular opinion that during conservation it changes the taste of salting for the worse, which affects its appearance. To date, the method of manufacturing the product has changed. Iodized salt no longer loses its valuable qualities when salting, smoking and making marinades. You can pay attention that in European countries only iodized salt is used, which also indicates the safety of this product.

Harm and contraindications

Everyone can use iodized salt without harm to health. You only need to know the measure in taking the product, since an excess of it in the body leads to edema, fluid retention, and complication of the kidneys and liver.

Iodized salt is undesirable for people with such diseases:

• thyroid cancer
• any stage of tuberculosis,
• chronic furunculosis,
• pathology of the kidneys.

With an excess of consumption of iodized salt, negative consequences can also occur. General intoxication occurs with sad consequences:

• purulent rash;
• nausea, vomiting;
• eye diseases.

More often these diseases are affected by older people who are not aware of thyroid problems, who are constantly self-medicating their body.

Salt enriched with iodine should be consumed in reasonable doses. For example, for pregnant and lactating women, the daily intake is up to 200 mcg. For an adult, the norm of consumption is up to 150 mcg. Children under 6 years of age can consume salt no more than 90 mcg. Also, do not forget about natural products rich in iodine, such as seaweed, fish.

How to choose and store

When buying salt in a store, you should pay attention to several important points:

1. The container must be dry, tightly closed. If the seasoning gets wet, then it becomes a sticky lump that loses its valuable qualities.
2. Shelf life is 12 months. It is possible to use salt more than this period, but it will already be ordinary table salt, since iodine tends to evaporate.
3. It is necessary to pay attention to the composition of the added iodine. If it is potassium iodide, then it is better not to buy salt, since it is this component that does not undergo high heat treatment.

Even if good quality salt was purchased, it is important to remember the basic conditions for proper storage.

1. It is undesirable to keep salt enriched with iodine open. It is better to choose a closed dish.
2. With prolonged heating, seasoning loses a large amount of iodine. Therefore, it is important to salt the dish at the end of cooking.

On a note! Consuming only iodine as the main mineral supplement in food will not bring much benefit to the whole body. You must also take other trace elements and vitamins.

Interesting facts about salt

For the full work of the body, a person needs the use of salt. The modern world can not be imagined without the consumption of this seasoning, it is one of the main ingredients of each dish.

1. Salt of natural origin can have different colors and shades depending on the mineral salts added to it.
2. This seasoning is necessary for the full functioning of the human body.
3. At the very beginning of the 19th century, salt was 4 times more expensive than beef.
4. The largest salt deposits in Europe are located in Ukraine, in the city of Artemovsk.
5. Due to the versatility of the calculations, it is not possible to calculate the amount of salt on Earth.
6. Until the beginning of the 20th century, the product was considered the main currency of Ethiopia.
7. Taking large amounts of salt can cause death.
8. A millennium ago, salt was very expensive, because of it even wars were arranged. Now it is one of the cheapest products on earth.
9. This is the oldest spice in the world.
10. In Europe and the USA, there are educational programs to explain the fatalities of salt.
11. There is a law in the UK that forces food manufacturers to indicate the amount of salt.
12. In Finland, by promoting a reduction in salt intake, mortality from strokes and heart attacks has been reduced.
13. This seasoning is widely used in fortune telling. Even there is a separate way of divination only on salt - alomancy.
14. Half of the income of ancient China came from the sale of this food supplement.
15. China has been extracting salt by evaporating water from it for 3,000 years.
16. In the Czech Republic are some of the largest salt caves.
17. In winter, up to 17% of all salt mined is used to combat icy conditions and icing roads.
18. This seasoning is used to make glass and soap.
19. The average salt intake per adult is 8 kg.

Iodized salt is an important supplement in everyday food, especially for people who do not get iodine from natural products. The norm of taking it per day is from 8 to 12 g. If you observe this proportion, then there will not be an excess of salt in the body, as well as side effects. However, if you feel unwell, malignant tumors are diagnosed, there are skin diseases, then before using iodized salt it is better to consult a doctor.

Photo of iodized salt