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One of the newfangled hobbies of fans of a healthy lifestyle is to cook food in a double boiler, without salt and spices. How healthy is it?

Our expert is dietitian Svetlana Lazarenko.
Simply irreplaceable

Everyone has heard that excess salt is harmful, but why is its deficiency dangerous?

Ordinary salt not only adds flavor to food, it contains a very important element for humans - sodium. It is part of the blood, is necessary for the formation of gastric juice, participates in water metabolism, without it the transmission of nerve impulses is impossible. Lack of salt can cause a healthy person to feel worse: he will become lethargic, lethargic, drowsy.
harmful excess

However, an excess of salt in the body is more dangerous than a lack. Especially for people suffering from diseases of the cardiovascular system, joints, kidneys, diabetes ...

So, for a healthy person, reasonable salt intake is not only not harmful, but also beneficial. However, a significant question: you can now find different types of salt in stores. Which one is better to use?

The usual cooking is suitable for pickles, marinades and other preparations, it is also added to the dough for baking. As for everyday ordinary dishes, it is better not to use table salt in them. Especially coarse salt - it dissolves poorly and is less refined.

Ideal for everyday use, iodized salt is fortified with iodine, which so many of us lack. With its deficiency, there is a risk of developing thyroid diseases. Iodine additives practically do not change the taste of dishes.

Hyponosodium salt - with a reduced sodium content. It is recommended to use it for those who suffer from diseases of the cardiovascular system, kidneys, prone to excess weight.

Black - this type of salt contains iodine, potassium, sulfur, iron and other substances, and the NaCl content in it is lower than in ordinary table salt. It acts as a mild laxative. But it has a light egg flavor, which is not always possible to “hide” when cooking.

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Salt with herbs - it has less sodium than regular salt, and herbs give the food a special flavor. But food should be salted with it only in a plate.
And tops and roots

We usually call spices something that can be used to flavor food, improve its taste. These are dried herbs, seeds of plants and herbs, powdered leaves and dried fruits ... Many spices have not only excellent taste, but also medicinal qualities. The use of greens (not only fresh, but also dried) improves the digestion process, metabolism. For those who are obese, dried cilantro or fennel seeds can be added to meals to reduce appetite. Dill relieves symptoms of flatulence, bloating.

Not only green tops are useful, but also roots. For example, celery root has a beneficial effect on the nervous system and sleep, it is recommended in the treatment of obesity. However, since most spices contain essential oils, aromatic acids, tannins, they can cause irritation of the gastrointestinal tract, and this is a risk of developing inflammatory processes. Therefore, those who have problems with the gastrointestinal tract should use spices very carefully. In addition, it must be borne in mind that many spices are allergenic.

The most common spice is ground pepper (black, red, white). It gives a piquant taste to dishes, but in case of cardiovascular diseases, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, liver, kidneys, diabetes mellitus, its consumption should be sharply limited, and more often it should be completely abandoned.

Salt has existed with mankind throughout the history of its existence. At first, people used sea water and rock salt deposits, then they learned how to process it - salt pans appeared, one of them, the largest, was discovered on the territory of Bulgaria several thousand years ago. In Russia, salt has become available to the entire population since the 15th century, when the great salt road, the Chumatsky tract, stretched from the Crimean lakes to Muscovy and Ukraine.

Salt was quite an expensive product and was worth its weight in gold. The lack of salt in Ancient Russia was considered a real disaster. If for some reason there were interruptions in the delivery of salt, people weakened and, according to the chronicle, "were in great sorrow", could neither work nor eat.

Since salt became cheap and widely available, its consumption has steadily increased. Thus, from 1940 to 1985, its consumption increased by an average of 2.4 times.

However, in 1979, at an international symposium in Germany, for the first time, salt was recognized as a harmful product, which led to a craze for salt-free diets. People once again set up an experiment on themselves. About the "white death" printed in magazines, talked on television, and so far a huge number of diets for weight loss are based on the complete rejection of sodium chloride in the diet.

Salt-free diet: benefits and harms

Indeed, salt-free diets show us the wonders of losing weight on the scales in the very first 2-3 days of their use. Only the rapid weight loss with the rejection of salt and salty foods has nothing to do with fat. Water is excreted from the body, which will definitely return when you return to normal nutrition. Therefore, the loss of 3-5 kg ​​(depending on the initial body weight) in the first days of a salt-free diet can be called a nutritional trick rather than a result. Of course, it is very tempting to get such an almost instantaneous and impressive result from the diet, but the harm from depriving yourself of sodium chloride is no less impressive.

In 1998, Michael Elderman, a cardiologist at the A. Einstein College of Medicine in New York, published for the first time the results of his 20-year follow-up of 11,348 people who restricted their salt intake to varying degrees. According to the results of the study, participants who reduced their average daily salt intake from 8.75 to 6 g began to feel better. Moreover, statistical regression analysis showed that there is a clear pattern between severe sodium restriction in the diet and an increase in the number of heart attacks and strokes during long-term follow-up. The scientist was convinced of a pathological increase in the activity of nerve cells, an increase in the risk of a heart attack due to narrowing and spasms of blood vessels and thickening of the blood due to a lack of salt in the body. Since then, a number of studies have been presented to support Michael Elderman's findings, leading professional dietitians to warn people against excess salt in their diets rather than avoid it entirely.

Reasonable consumption

Salt is sodium chloride. Sodium is necessary for the body to maintain the acid-base balance; without it, the pancreas cannot produce digestive juices. Therefore, in the past, a small piece of heavily salted rye bread was recommended to stimulate appetite.

Sodium is found in every cell of our body, participates in the processes of muscle contraction, therefore, for people with heavy physical labor or athletes, sodium restriction in the diet is contraindicated, especially since this element is very actively lost with sweat. It is categorically impossible to completely refuse salt to people taking diuretic drugs.

As a rule, on average, a person should receive 5-8 g of salt per day with food. But many modern foods are oversaturated with salt, which has gradually developed in us the habit of eating other foods that are heavily salted. All this leads to an excess of sodium in the body, which is just as harmful as its lack. The least harm that is familiar to each of us is swelling. But an excess of this macronutrient is also accompanied by a lack of potassium, since these substances are interconnected in the body, therefore, both a complete rejection of salt and its excess are harmful for cardiac activity. After all, potassium regulates the activity of the heart muscle.

Thus, with regard to salt, a golden mean is needed. In no case do not succumb to the urge to completely abandon sodium chloride, but be sure to look at your diet to find out if there is an excess of it.

Many of us are so accustomed to salt that it is difficult to imagine food without it. But is it possible to get rid of salt? Scientists and nutritionists say you can. Their main recommendation is that you just need to eat those foods that do not need to be salted.

To find out exactly what these products are, you need to remember what salt is. From the school chemistry course, remember that rock salt is a compound of acid and alkali that has a specific taste. It is worth finding those products in which approximately the same chemical elements as in salt. Nutritionists give fairly clear recommendations on how to replace salt, what can and should be eaten instead.

How to eat without salt: products that replace the taste of salt

  1. First of all, include garlic in your diet. To make it smell less, dry it, finely chop or grind it to a powder state. If the smell of garlic still makes you uncomfortable, drink a glass of milk or chew on a few parsley leaves.
  2. Sea salt. Don't let the word "salt" scare you, as it is much healthier than table salt. Sea salt contains iodine, which is beneficial for the human body, but harmful for those who suffer from thyroid diseases. So sea salt should be eaten very carefully.
  3. Spices or herbs. A mixture of dried herbs is the best option to replace salt. Herbs have many advantages over salt: the taste of food is revealed more fully, and the general condition of the body (skin, complexion, hair condition) improves. Cooks give a list of the most popular and useful herbs:
    • cilantro;
    • basil;
    • thyme;
    • Bay leaf;
    • dill;
    • parsley;
    • all kinds of peppers;
    • green onions;
    • sage.

Salt made from celery is becoming more and more popular. You can buy it at a pharmacy or supermarket, or you can make it yourself by grinding the dried roots and leaves of this plant.

Juice squeezed from a lemon is a good substitute for salt in vegetable salads. Usually lemon juice is recommended to be used in combination with vegetable and olive oil. Such components not only remove all unnecessary toxins from the body, but also significantly improve the taste of food.

So, now we have found out how to eat without salt, what products can replace it in our diet. But why is salt harmful, what does its excessive use affect?

Why is salt bad?

Remember that you need to limit yourself in its use, since an excess of salt in the human body is fraught with the following disorders:

  • The more salt you consume, the more your thirst increases.
  • Salty food impairs the functioning of the kidneys, heart and blood vessels.
  • The metabolism is disturbed, as a result of which the immune system weakens.
  • Salty food lovers are more prone to hypertension.

Try to eat less bread, potatoes and milk as they contain high amounts of sodium chloride. The daily norm of salt for an adult is 2 grams, if you eat 100 times more, then a fatal outcome is quite likely.

So take care of proper nutrition, try to eat less salty, and after 14 days you will be able to taste food normally, since the need for salt will disappear. However, do not forget that the human body is used to this seasoning, it is part of some bone tissues, so you should find something that can replace salt. What it could be, we have already considered above.

A low-salt diet is beneficial primarily for those with hypertension or heart failure, as it greatly improves well-being. Many experts say that a salt-free diet can be used, but with caution. Sodium chloride particles are essential for the metabolism and normal functioning of cells. They advise adding a little salt to meat and fish broths, but 20 minutes before cooking, and salting vegetables 5 minutes before. At the same time, you need only a few grains of salt.

One of the most popular hobbies of adherents of a healthy diet is a salt-free diet for weight loss. It involves steaming food without using salt and spices. Everyone knows about the dangers of excess salt intake, but do we all know what danger its deficiency in our body carries?

To understand whether it is necessary to use this product, you should find out if it benefits us. From the school chemistry course, everyone knows that the NaCl formula is the salt we use in the kitchen.

Salt-free diet for weight loss: what are the consequences

  • Sodium Free the process of muscle contraction and transmission of nerve impulses becomes simply impossible. If its absence or insufficient amount is detected, lethargy, muscle weakness begin to be felt, and with a sharp lack of sodium in the body, coordination of movements is disturbed.
  • Chlorine not replaceable for the secretion of gastric juice, since hydrochloric acid is formed with the help of chloride ions. Interesting is the fact that the only supplier of chlorine for us is sodium chloride (table salt).

A salt-free diet can result in salt deficiency. During a shortage of salt, the body uses its reserves by removing them from the bones and muscles. The consequences of this can be depression, disorders in digestion and the cardiovascular system.

Food without salt for weight loss is good, but there is an opinion that in the absence of salt, the human body is only safe for 10 days. Fortunately, a 100% salt-free diet is almost impossible, since all industrially processed foods contain salt.


Salt for weight loss: consumption rates

Constantly in the human body should be about 200-300 grams of salt. On the day a person should consume somewhere 1-1.5% of this value, that is, on average, it is 5-6 grams per day. In the end, we get salt in the composition of many products and this should be remembered.

The salt diet, which allows you to use salt without restrictions, contributes to water retention in the body, resulting in an increase in the amount of adipose tissue. Edema appears, there are problems with the kidneys and the cardiovascular system, and pressure rises.

Both excess and deficiency of this important health component affect vision and often cause cataracts in the eye.

Nutritionists say that a person is enough of the amount of salt that he receives in the composition of food, and salting food contributes to the development of various types of diseases.

So, whether salt intake is useful or not depends only on you. The main thing for a person is a normal water-salt balance, so it is very important to comply with the norms.


Salt-free diet menu for every day

If it is impossible to completely eliminate the use of salt, then we will try to reduce its consumption as much as possible. We offer a salt-free diet menu for 14 days. This will help not only lose about 8 kg of excess weight, but also normalize metabolism. From the proposed options to your taste, make a daily menu and lose weight for health!

Breakfasts:

  • black ground coffee + cracker
  • Black tea
  • grated carrot with lemon juice

Dinners:

Dinners:

  • steamed fish or meat + vegetable salad
  • grated carrot with vegetable oil and lemon juice + a glass of non-fat yogurt
  • lettuce and fresh cabbage + two boiled eggs
  • a glass of tomato juice + a glass of fat-free kefir at night
  • one fruit (except banana and grapes)

At the end of the salt-free diet, in order to maintain the achieved result, you can return to your usual diet, but limit the consumption of bread, ready-made sauces and, of course, salt!

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