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Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl) and is used in food for both preservation and flavor. Sodium ions are needed in small quantities by most living things, as are chlorine ions. Salt is involved in regulating the water content (fluid balance) of the body. Both sodium and chlorine ions are used for electrical signaling ...
Sodium chloride / ˌ s oʊ d i ə m ˈ k l ɔːr aɪ d /, [8] commonly known as edible salt, is an ionic compound with the chemical formula NaCl, representing a 1:1 ratio of sodium and chlorine ions. It is transparent or translucent, brittle, hygroscopic, and occurs as the mineral halite. In its edible form, it is commonly used as a condiment ...
Sodium serves a vital purpose in the human body: via its role as an electrolyte, it helps nerves and muscles to function correctly, and it is one factor involved in the osmotic regulation of water content in body organs (fluid balance). [63] Most of the sodium in the Western diet comes from salt. [6]
The sodium–potassium pump, a critical enzyme for regulating sodium and potassium levels in cells. Sodium ions (Na +) are necessary in small amounts for some types of plants, [1] but sodium as a nutrient is more generally needed in larger amounts [1] by animals, due to their use of it for generation of nerve impulses and for maintenance of electrolyte balance and fluid balance.
Each ion can be either monatomic (termed simple ion), such as sodium (Na +) and chloride (Cl −) in sodium chloride, or polyatomic, such as ammonium (NH + 4) and carbonate (CO 2− 3) ions in ammonium carbonate. Salts containing basic ions hydroxide (OH −) or oxide (O 2−) are classified as bases, such as sodium hydroxide and potassium oxide.
Sodium malate is salty in taste and may be blended with other salt substitutes. Although it contains sodium, the mass fraction is lower. [17] Monosodium glutamate is often used as a substitute for salt in processed and restaurant food, due to its salty taste and low sodium content compared to table salt, and can also be used effectively in home ...
A low sodium diet has a useful effect to reduce blood pressure, both in people with hypertension and in people with normal blood pressure. [7] Taken together, a low salt diet (median of approximately 4.4 g/day – approx 1800 mg sodium) in hypertensive people resulted in a decrease in systolic blood pressure by 4.2 mmHg, and in diastolic blood pressure by 2.1 mmHg.
Traditionally, food companies would send food samples to laboratories for physical testing. Typical analyses include: moisture (water) by loss of mass at 102 °C; protein by analysis of total nitrogen, either by Dumas or Kjeldahl methods; total fat, traditionally by a solvent extraction, but often now by secondary methods such as NMR