ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Salt

Okay kiddo, let's talk about salt! Salt is a kind of spice that we sometimes put on our food to make it taste better. It's actually a kind of mineral that comes from the ground or from the sea.

Salt is made up of two different chemicals called sodium and chloride. When we eat salt, our body breaks it down into these two chemicals. Sodium is really important for our bodies, because it helps carry electrical signals in our nerves and muscles. Chloride helps balance the acids and bases in our body.

But even though a little bit of salt is good for us, too much salt can be bad for our health. Eating too much salt can make us feel thirsty, and make our bodies hold onto too much water. This can cause problems like high blood pressure, which can hurt our hearts and kidneys.

So it's important to remember that salt is useful and yummy, but we have to be careful not to eat too much of it.