Is Sodium the same as Salt?

February 20, 2009 · Posted in Health and Body · Comments Off on Is Sodium the same as Salt? 

Before taking chemistry classes, I used to wonder: is sodium the same as salt?

You see sodium on the nutrition fact label and salt on your kitchen table, you wonder… are they the same thing?  YES, they are, kind of…

Everyday table salt has the chemical formula: NaCl – or Sodium Chloride.

Sodium is just half of the chemical equation known as salt (the NA part).

Ok – now that we have that established… what’s the big deal you right?  Well, ever heard of blood pressure?  How about heart attack?

High sodium intake diets have been linked to several different diseases and conditions, mostly having to do with your heart and blood pressure.  In short – the more sodium you take in, the higher your risk of heart disease (stroke, heart attack, etc…). Read more