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Salt, also known as sodium chloride, is about 40 percent sodium and 60 percent chloride. It adds flavor to food and is also used as a preservative, binder, and stabilizer. The human body needs a very small amount of sodium – the primary element we get from salt – to conduct nerve impulses, contract and relax muscles, and maintain the proper balance of water and minerals. But too much sodium in the diet can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. Most Americans consume at least 1.5 teaspoons of salt per day, which contains far more sodium than our bodies need.
