Some salt good for the body? and good starch?

[discusscookingnewbie]

Hi again, question is in the title of this thread. recently I was told that some salt is good for the body but of course not to much and that there is good starch witch is also good for the body. I currently don't consume any starch or salt as I was told or herd from somewhere that its bad for the body being the starch witch is bad for tooth enamel or teeth. Is this true? is some salt and good starch good for the body? is salt something that the body needs?

 

[Andy M.]

some salt good for the body? and good starch?

Food issues are a common topic for fear mongers. All foods in moderation, including salt and starch, are fine unless a medical doctor has identified a specific medical condition that is an issue.

 

[taxlady]

Starches that come with whole grains and vegis are probably what is meant by good starches. It's best if they come in something with some nutrition as opposed to "empty", like empty sugars. Starches break down into sugars with saliva and with digestion. So, excessive amounts of starches breaking down in your mouth will encourage tooth decay in the same way that sugar does.

 

[larry_stewart]

Starch, itself , is not bad for the enamel. But, the sugars ( which the starch breaks down to) that feed the bacteria in the mouth , which produces acids that eat away at the enamel.
Thats why candy or even dried fruits are so bad for the teeth because of not only their sugar content, but their stickiness that allows them to adhere to the tooth, and difficulty in brushing it off.

In general, as long as you brush, rinse, floss after a meal, you should be ok.
Acidic foods like citrus ... that can have more of a direct effect on enamel loss, because its an acid itself and therefore does direct harm to the enamel. ( not a cavity, but enamel erosion as a result of the high acid content).

So bottom line is, starch itself won't harm the enamel, and as long as you do a good job keeping the teeth clean after eating starches or sugars, you should be ok.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

...I was told that some salt is good for the body but of course not to much...

Salt/sodium is an important electrolyte, helping your body operate properly. Too little and you can have problems. I know. I'm was a heavy tea drinker. In the past I used to drink nearly a quart of tea before I even had my first cup of coffee. Then I'd have more hot tea, iced tea, or fruited water later in the day. I probably consumed at least 100 ounces of water on average daily. I managed to get my blood so low that my doctor became concerned. After running about five points below average for a couple of years, I was sent to a specialist (nephrologist). Thankfully, just reducing my daily liquid intake to about 50 ounces solved my problem. Low blood sodium can affect your memory, muscle strength, and other body functions. Just getting my sodium level up to the minimum resulted in my memory improving and my leg muscles aching less when walking a lot.

These two articles provide some interesting information on sodium intake:

6 Reasons You May Need to Eat More Salt

Low Blood Sodium (Hyponatremia)

 

[skilletlicker]

Hi again, question is in the title of this thread. recently I was told that some salt is good for the body but of course not to much and that there is good starch witch is also good for the body. I currently don't consume any starch or salt as I was told or herd from somewhere that its bad for the body being the starch witch is bad for tooth enamel or teeth. Is this true? is some salt and good starch good for the body? is salt something that the body needs?

I currently don't consume any starch or salt

People can't long survive without sodium or complex carbohydrates, the technical name for starch.

its bad for the body being the starch witch is bad for tooth enamel or teeth. Is this true?

No.

is some salt and good starch good for the body?

Yes.

is salt something that the body needs?

The body needs sodium and sodium chloride, the chemical name for salt, is 40% sodium. On average Americans consume 3400mg of sodium per day. I try to limit my sodium to 1500 to 2000 mg per day.

I'm not a doctor and am not dispensing medical advice.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

You also need the chloride portion of salt or you cannot create stomach acid to digest your food.

 

[Bama-Rick]

The body needs sodium and sodium chloride, the chemical name for salt, is 40% sodium. On average Americans consume 3400mg of sodium per day. I try to limit my sodium to 1500 to 2000 mg per day.

BINGO!

If you eat many processed foods aka canned goods, frozen prepared meals or practically anything else not raw fresh from the farm vegetables or meats you are probably getting more than enough salt in your diet.

Be careful even products labeled low sodium they often have more sodium than their unlabeled counterparts. I've noticed low sodium ham often has more sodium than regular ham. Go figure.

 

[GotGarlic]

BINGO!

If you eat many processed foods aka canned goods, frozen prepared meals or practically anything else not raw fresh from the farm vegetables or meats you are probably getting more than enough salt in your diet.

Be careful even products labeled low sodium they often have more sodium than their unlabeled counterparts. I've noticed low sodium ham often has more sodium than regular ham. Go figure.

And this is why it's important to read labels. Because there is so much more awareness now about excess salt in the diet, there are almost always canned and frozen food choices without any added salt at all. Canned and frozen foods can be a perfectly healthy choice, especially since, for a variety of reasons, some people are not always able to prepare fresh foods when they plan to.

 

[roadfix]

My cravings for salty food increase during hot months due to excessive sweating, and even worse during moderate physical activity. I also keep on hand several dozen bottles of sport drinks during the summer.