Definition of Salt
Salt: In medicine, salt usually refers to sodium chloride, table salt, used for seasoning food, for the preservation of meat, etc. Salt is found in the earth and in sea water and is isolated by evaporation and crystallization from sea water and other water impregnated with particles of salt.
The salt content of food is usually given in terms of "Sodium." For example, the label on a can of lentil soup may list "Sodium 440mg" per cup (242g).
The adjective for "salt" most often used in medicine is not salty but "saline."
Last Editorial Review: 5/13/2016
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