Why is salt being referred to as “sodium”? [closed]
Why is salt referred to as "sodium" in nutrition facts (like on products) and similar documents in some parts of the world? Why is that nutrition facts labels in some parts of the world list salt while others list sodium (and some use "sodium/salt")?
Nutrition facts tables in some parts of the world use (their translation of) the word salt (also some English speaking areas), although there are cases of using sodium or even salt/sodium. For example, see these EU labels with German/French/GB English/Italian and German/English/French/Spanish/Italian/Dutch terms; and this Hungarian label.
So there is the linguistic part: is it just lax wording?
And the less linguistic part: Are they referring to different things each time?
Some research:
salt: a white crystalline substance that gives seawater its characteristic taste and is used for seasoning or preserving food.
table salt: salt suitable for sprinkling on food at meals.
sodium: the chemical element of atomic number 11, a soft silver-white reactive metal of the alkali metal group.
Salt doesn't just mean table salt, or sodium chloride. Potassium chloride is a salt as well. It's often used as a healthy substitute because people typically aren't overdosing on potassium the way they are on sodium.
Mixing any acid and base will produce a salt solution. Not always one that is healthy to drink.
salt
sôlt/Submit
noun
a white crystalline substance that gives seawater its characteristic taste and is used for seasoning or preserving food.
synonyms: sodium chloride, table salt, NaCl
"the potatoes need salt"
CHEMISTRY
any chemical compound formed from the reaction of an acid with a base, with all or part of the hydrogen of the acid replaced by a metal or other cation.
adjective
impregnated with, treated with, or tasting of salt.
"salt water"
synonyms: salty, salted, saline, briny, brackish
"salt water"
(of a plant) growing on the coast or in salt marshes.
verb
season or preserve with salt.
"cook the carrots in boiling salted water"
informal
fraudulently make (a mine) appear to be a paying one by placing rich ore in it.
google: salt definition