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What is salt? -

Most households have salt, and people are familiar with it for cooking. But what is it, really? Salt is a mineral known as sodium chloride (NaCl) that is essential to the health of people and animals.

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Where does salt come from? -

Salt is made through mining, evaporating seawater or brines, and using artificial heat.

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What happens chemically when you mix salt and water -

According to the US Geological Survey, "When salt is mixed with water, the salt dissolves because the covalent bonds of water are stronger than the ionic bonds in the salt molecules."

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What are electrolytes? -

According to the Cleveland Clinic, "Electrolytes are substances that have a natural positive or negative electrical charge when dissolved in water. They help your body regulate chemical reactions, maintain the balance between fluids inside and outside your cells."

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What happens if we don't get enough electrolytes? -

An electrolyte imbalance can result in dangerous side effects. These include an irregular heartbeat, fatigue, confusion, muscle weakness, twitching, and more.

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What happens if we don't get enough electrolytes? -

Additionally, comas, seizures, and cardiac arrests can occur if the electrolyte imbalance is serious enough.

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Why is salt water so popular right now? -

Influencers on platforms like TikTok have been posting recently about the benefits of adding salt to water and consuming it. These short videos often don't explain the whole story.

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Benefits - hydration -

Drinking water will always help hydrate your active body. Adding a tiny amount of salt to this drinking water can help replenish electrolytes lost when exercising.

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Benefits - hydration -

Sodium, a chemical element found in salt, plays an important role in hydrating your body. It acts like a magnet and draws water into cells, which helps maintain hydration.

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Benefits - Digestive health -

Salt can help promote digestion when it's consumed in moderation. A study found in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine said that salt water can help with bowel movements. 

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Benefits - Digestive health -

Salt may also increase the secretion of digestive fluids, thereby helping food breakdown in the stomach and enhancing the absorption of nutrients.

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Benefits - Detox -

Saltwater can be used to help cleanse your colon. It can also treat chronic constipation and help detox your body.

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Benefits - Detox -

Drinking non-iodized salt and water can have a laxative effect that can help clean out your body. There isn't scientific evidence that explicitly states this as fact but anecdotal evidence suggests the salt and water combo to be helpful.

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Benefits - Boosts weight loss -

Consuming a small amount of salt water on an empty stomach can help balance electrolytes and hydrate the body, which could help reduce water retention.

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Benefits - Boosts weight loss -

While salt in water could help with some weight loss, it's essential to seek professional medical advice before consuming too much salt.

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Benefits - Stress reduction -

It has been said that salt in water can help regulate cortisol, the stress hormone.

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Benefits - Stress reduction -

If cortisol levels are lower, then it can lead to reduced stress and anxiety. Salt in moderation can help you feel better in that regard.

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Types of salt to use -

Social media trends suggest that using Celtic or Himalayan salts is best. However, there isn't a significant nutritional difference between these salts.

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Compared to sports drinks -

Many drinks designated for sports contain 250 milligrams or more of sodium. It may be better to drink this when exercising, so you can track exactly how much sodium you're taking in as opposed to guessing with homemade salt water.

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Can drinking salt water hurt your health? -

If you consume too much salt water, it can cause symptoms like diarrhea and dehydration, and ultimately, it could damage your kidneys.

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Can drinking salt water hurt your health? -

If you are trying to replace the sodium you've lost through exercise, it's very difficult to know exactly how much to replace without an actual blood test. Therefore, you can be at a greater risk of consuming too much salt, which may result in negative effects.

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How much salt should I add to my water? -

If you want to add salt to your water, then use one-sixteenth of a teaspoon salt added to 8 to 12 ounces (236 to 354 ml) of water.

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How much salt should I add to my water? -

Many sites you might see online say to add a "pinch" of salt to a glass of water. This can lead to you consuming too much salt as it isn't a precise measurement.

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How often should I drink salt water? -

Experts recommended to only drink salt water once a day, particularly after a lot of exercise if you've sweated a lot.

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Myths - drinking salt water is good for the skin -

There isn't proven evidence that drinking salt water is good for the skin. However, topically using salt water can help. The mineral content, including magnesium, potassium, and calcium, may have antibacterial properties.

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Myths - drinking salt water is good for the skin -

Though there are some benefits of topical salt water use on your face and skin, there are also consequences. It can worsen conditions such as acne and eczema.

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Summary: Should I be drinking salt water? -

Ultimately, it's unlikely that you need to be drinking salt water. While there are some possible pros to it, the cons can outweigh them. It is important to seek medical advice before making any changes such as adding salt water to your diet.

Sources: (Healthline) (USGS) (USA  Today Life) (Verywell Health) (GQ) (Heath Shots) (Britannica) (Today) (FDA) (Times Entertainment) (Clevland Clinic)

See also: Signs your diet is doing more harm than good

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