Additional information on medical questions about salt is available. Years ago we thought that different societies have wide variations in salt intake. Current research shows that where salt is readily available, the vast majority of the world's population chooses to consume about 6-10 grams of salt a day. But for the rest of the world, our average intakes are typical. Nutrition is important to good health .
Salt is part of a healthy diet .
Within foods, salt brine dehydrates bacterial cells, alters osmotic pressure and inhibits bacterial growth and subsequent spoilage. Salt strengthens gluten in bread dough, providing uniform grain, texture and dough strength. With salt present, gluten holds more water and carbon dioxide, allowing the dough to expand without tearing. Salt improves the tenderness in cured meats such as ham by promoting the binding of water by protein. It also gives a smooth, firm texture to processed meats.