Salt, the quintessential flavor enhancer, has been an indispensable part of human cuisine for millennia. While it's critical for maintaining bodily functions, its excessive consumption poses significant health risks. Despite its culinary importance, the overindulgence in salt can stealthily undermine health, leading to a range of chronic conditions.
The human body requires a modest amount of sodium – the key component of table salt – to conduct nerve impulses, contract and relax muscles, and maintain the proper balance of water and minerals. However, the modern diet often far exceeds these requirements. The consequences of high salt intake are insidious and far-reaching.
Firstly, consuming too much salt can lead to hypertension, or high blood pressure, a condition that affects nearly half a billion people worldwide. Sodium has the property of retaining water; hence, excessive sodium intake results in increased fluid volume in the bloodstream, which in turn raises blood pressure. Persistent hypertension is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke, two of the leading causes of death globally.