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Sodium
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Sodium is one of the major components of table salt. An investigation, called the Intersalt Study, of 10 000 people from 32 countries, found that there was a very strong correlation between a high sodium consumption and high blood pressure, especially in sodium-sensitive people. The results can be interpreted in a number of ways, but most dietitians agree that high sodium intakes can be harmful. Sodium can ... increase the risk of oedema (swelling, particularly in joints, caused by an accumulation of fluids). The current average sodium intake of adults in the UK is 3.2 g per day. The government recommends that this should be decreased to 1.6 g. One simple way of reducing sodium intake is not to add table salt to food.
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Sodium intake is one factor involved in the development of high blood pressure, otherwise known as hypertension. Hypertension tends to develop as people age. Some individuals are "salt sensitive," so reducing intake of sodium helps to reduce blood pressure levels. A high intake of sodium early in life might weaken genetic defenses against developing high blood pressure. Experts recommend not to wait and see if you develop hypertension, but to reduce sodium intake while blood pressure is still normal. This may decrease your risk of developing hypertension.
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Sodium appetite has similar mechanisms. An increase in sodium hunger is the second behavioral response to hypovolemia (decreased water volume). Many mammals in sodium deficit seek and ingest salt, driven to do so by increased sodium appetite [9, 37, 42]. Through 50 years of intense research, it has been shown definitively that the hormones discussed earlier, such as Renin and ADH, play a primary role in sodium appetite [9, 23]. For example, sodium appetite is increased in rats by inducing the syndrome of apparent mineralocorticoid excess [6, 7]. This mechanism is an essential defense against sodium deficiency, to maintain electrolyte balance, and maximum efficiency [13, 23].
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Sodium has an important role in maintaining the water balance within cells and in the function of both nerve impulses and muscles. Any extra sodium is excreted by the kidneys. Consuming excess sodium may lead to edema or water retention. Women who consume excess sodium may be at higher risk for developing osteoporosis even if calcium intake is adequate. Some evidence suggests that for each teaspoon of salt (2,000 mg of sodium) consumed, considerable calcium is excreted in the urine.
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Sodium added to processed foods accounts for the majority of sodium (75 %) in the US diet. The remainder comes from discretionary salt (15 %) and the sodium that occurs naturally in foods (10%). A substantial portion of sodium in foods is hidden in the sense that it occurs in foods that are moderate in sodium content and that are not thought of as salty foods, e.g., processed grain and cereal products, but which are consumed regularly. Other contributors to high sodium intake are foods with high amounts of salt. High amounts of salt are found in table salt and soy sauce, followed by foods in brine such as pickles, olives and sauerkraut. Salty or smoked meats and fish, salted snack foods, bouillon cubes, bottled sauces, processed cheeses, and canned and instant soups ... contain significant levels of sodium.
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Soda (Sodium carbonate, Na2CO3) from the Egyptian salt lakes, and Potash (Potassium carbonate, K2CO3), obtained from the ashes of plant material, were known since Antiquity and used for washing. There was made no difference between both substances, which were named by the Israelites [N]eter, by the Greek νιτρον (nitron) and by the Romans nitrum (cf. Nitrogen). Derived from these is the word natron, the name used by the European alchemists for potash and soda. In Arab, the same substances were named alkali (see Potassium / Kalium.) The name soda is a derivation from "sodanum", a Neolatin name for a headache remedy. This word is derived from Arabic Sudâ (soda).
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Sodium