What's in my salt?

Lately I have been trying to limit not only my calories, but also the
amount of salt I eat, so I've been using a diet salt they sell here in
the Netherlands. It has 41% NaCl, 41% KCl, 17% MgCl, 0.1% calcium,
0.005% iodine, and 0.895% 'trace elements'. I would like to enter it in
Fitday as a custom food, but the problem is, I've no idea how to
calculate the amounts of sodium, potassium and magnesium. I've found a
site that has the atomic weights of the elements: sodium 22.989770(2),
potassium 39.0983, magnesium 24.3006(6), chlorine 35.4527(9); but I've
had just 1 year of chemistry at school, and that was a looong time ago,
so that still doesn't tell me anything. Does anyone here know enough
chemistry to calculate it for me?

aTdHvAaNnKcSe,

Berna (101.5/73.3/~68 kg)

--
( )_( ) Berna M. Bleeker-Slikker
/ . . \
\ \@/ / http://www.volksliedjes.nl

Ignoramus3395 wrote:
Berna Bleeker wrote:

Lately I have been trying to limit not only my calories, but also
the
amount of salt I eat, so I've been using a diet salt they sell here
in
the Netherlands. It has 41% NaCl, 41% KCl, 17% MgCl, 0.1% calcium,
0.005% iodine, and 0.895% 'trace elements'. I would like to enter
it in
Fitday as a custom food, but the problem is, I've no idea how to
calculate the amounts of sodium, potassium and magnesium. I've
found a
site that has the atomic weights of the elements: sodium
22.989770(2),
potassium 39.0983, magnesium 24.3006(6), chlorine 35.4527(9); but
I've
had just 1 year of chemistry at school, and that was a looong time
ago,
so that still doesn't tell me anything. Does anyone here know
enough
chemistry to calculate it for me?

I do not think that you need to know the atomic weights. If the
percentages that you listed above are by weight, then, take the grams
of salt that you ate, multiply it by the percentage number and divide
by 100, you would get the grams of elements that you mentioned.

If you, say, ate 10 grams of that "salt", you would have eaten 4.1
grams of NaCL etc.

Remember, all that a percent (%) is 1/100. There is no more to the
notion of a percent than knowing that one percent is 1/100.

The weight have use if you only want the potassium.

100 grams of salt at 41% KCl is 41 grams of FCl. The ratio of K
to Cl is 39/(39+35), basically half plus. Half plus of 41 grams
is about 21 grams. So 100 grams of the salt would be about 21
grams of potassium. More decimal places aren't going to help
mcuh.

Since daily target for potassium is 1-2 grams, you'd want 5-10
grams of the salt daily minus your best guess at potassium in
food.

In the US that's about what Lite Salt is, but it's an even
better mixture since it includes magnesium. Call it a teaspoon
per day.

Ignoramus3395 wrote:
Berna Bleeker wrote:

Lately I have been trying to limit not only my calories, but also
the
amount of salt I eat, so I've been using a diet salt they sell here
in
the Netherlands. It has 41% NaCl, 41% KCl, 17% MgCl, 0.1% calcium,
0.005% iodine, and 0.895% 'trace elements'. I would like to enter
it in
Fitday as a custom food, but the problem is, I've no idea how to
calculate the amounts of sodium, potassium and magnesium. I've
found a
site that has the atomic weights of the elements: sodium
22.989770(2),
potassium 39.0983, magnesium 24.3006(6), chlorine 35.4527(9); but
I've
had just 1 year of chemistry at school, and that was a looong time
ago,
so that still doesn't tell me anything. Does anyone here know
enough
chemistry to calculate it for me?

I do not think that you need to know the atomic weights. If the
percentages that you listed above are by weight, then, take the grams
of salt that you ate, multiply it by the percentage number and divide
by 100, you would get the grams of elements that you mentioned.

If you, say, ate 10 grams of that "salt", you would have eaten 4.1
grams of NaCL etc.

Remember, all that a percent (%) is 1/100. There is no more to the
notion of a percent than knowing that one percent is 1/100.

The weight have use if you only want the potassium.

100 grams of salt at 41% KCl is 41 grams of FCl. The ratio of K
to Cl is 39/(39+35), basically half plus. Half plus of 41 grams
is about 21 grams. So 100 grams of the salt would be about 21
grams of potassium. More decimal places aren't going to help
mcuh.

Since daily target for potassium is 1-2 grams, you'd want 5-10
grams of the salt daily minus your best guess at potassium in
food.

In the US that's about what Lite Salt is, but it's an even
better mixture since it includes magnesium. Call it a teaspoon
per day.

Doug Freyburger schreef:
Ignoramus3395 wrote:

Berna Bleeker wrote:


Lately I have been trying to limit not only my calories, but also

the

amount of salt I eat, so I've been using a diet salt they sell here

in

the Netherlands. It has 41% NaCl, 41% KCl, 17% MgCl, 0.1% calcium,
0.005% iodine, and 0.895% 'trace elements'. I would like to enter

it in

Fitday as a custom food, but the problem is, I've no idea how to
calculate the amounts of sodium, potassium and magnesium. I've

found a

site that has the atomic weights of the elements: sodium

22.989770(2),

potassium 39.0983, magnesium 24.3006(6), chlorine 35.4527(9); but

I've

had just 1 year of chemistry at school, and that was a looong time

ago,

so that still doesn't tell me anything. Does anyone here know

enough

chemistry to calculate it for me?

I do not think that you need to know the atomic weights. If the
percentages that you listed above are by weight, then, take the grams
of salt that you ate, multiply it by the percentage number and divide
by 100, you would get the grams of elements that you mentioned.

If you, say, ate 10 grams of that "salt", you would have eaten 4.1
grams of NaCL etc.

Remember, all that a percent (%) is 1/100. There is no more to the
notion of a percent than knowing that one percent is 1/100.


The weight have use if you only want the potassium.

100 grams of salt at 41% KCl is 41 grams of FCl. The ratio of K
to Cl is 39/(39+35), basically half plus. Half plus of 41 grams
is about 21 grams. So 100 grams of the salt would be about 21
grams of potassium. More decimal places aren't going to help
mcuh.

And the ratio of Na to Cl would be 23/(23+35), right?

Since daily target for potassium is 1-2 grams, you'd want 5-10
grams of the salt daily minus your best guess at potassium in
food.

In the US that's about what Lite Salt is, but it's an even
better mixture since it includes magnesium. Call it a teaspoon
per day.

Thank you very much! :-) Now I can track the amount of sodium and
potassium I eat.

Yet another thing to measure. I'm turning into a health freak, no doubt
- but I don't want to have my fingers, feet & cheeks swell up from
eating too much salt; my blood pressure has always been good, even
though I used to eat a *lot* of salt, but this bloating can't be healthy
(and the extra weight shows up on the scale, too).

Berna (101.5/73.1/~68 kg)

--
( )_( ) Berna M. Bleeker-Slikker
/ . . \
\ \@/ / http://www.volksliedjes.nl

Berna Bleeker wrote:

The weight have use if you only want the potassium.

100 grams of salt at 41% KCl is 41 grams of FCl. The ratio of K
to Cl is 39/(39+35), basically half plus. Half plus of 41 grams
is about 21 grams. So 100 grams of the salt would be about 21
grams of potassium. More decimal places aren't going to help
mcuh.

And the ratio of Na to Cl would be 23/(23+35), right?

Times the percentage of NaCl in your salt. Correct.

Since daily target for potassium is 1-2 grams, you'd want 5-10
grams of the salt daily minus your best guess at potassium in
food.

In the US that's about what Lite Salt is, but it's an even
better mixture since it includes magnesium. Call it a teaspoon
per day.

Thank you very much! :-) Now I can track the amount of sodium and
potassium I eat.

Low carbers like lite salt (50-50 sodium chloride and potassium
chloride) for the extra potassium. Low fatters like lite salt
for the lower sodium. The stuff's a wonder product.

Berna Bleeker wrote:
Doug Freyburger schreef:

Ignoramus3395 wrote:

Berna Bleeker wrote:


Lately I have been trying to limit not only my calories, but also


the

amount of salt I eat, so I've been using a diet salt they sell here


in

the Netherlands. It has 41% NaCl, 41% KCl, 17% MgCl, 0.1% calcium,
0.005% iodine, and 0.895% 'trace elements'. I would like to enter


it in

Fitday as a custom food, but the problem is, I've no idea how to
calculate the amounts of sodium, potassium and magnesium. I've


found a

site that has the atomic weights of the elements: sodium


22.989770(2),

potassium 39.0983, magnesium 24.3006(6), chlorine 35.4527(9); but


I've

had just 1 year of chemistry at school, and that was a looong time


ago,

so that still doesn't tell me anything. Does anyone here know


enough

chemistry to calculate it for me?


I do not think that you need to know the atomic weights. If the
percentages that you listed above are by weight, then, take the grams
of salt that you ate, multiply it by the percentage number and divide
by 100, you would get the grams of elements that you mentioned.

If you, say, ate 10 grams of that "salt", you would have eaten 4.1
grams of NaCL etc.

Remember, all that a percent (%) is 1/100. There is no more to the
notion of a percent than knowing that one percent is 1/100.



The weight have use if you only want the potassium.

100 grams of salt at 41% KCl is 41 grams of FCl. The ratio of K
to Cl is 39/(39+35), basically half plus. Half plus of 41 grams
is about 21 grams. So 100 grams of the salt would be about 21
grams of potassium. More decimal places aren't going to help
mcuh.


And the ratio of Na to Cl would be 23/(23+35), right?

Since daily target for potassium is 1-2 grams, you'd want 5-10
grams of the salt daily minus your best guess at potassium in
food.

In the US that's about what Lite Salt is, but it's an even
better mixture since it includes magnesium. Call it a teaspoon
per day.


Thank you very much! :-) Now I can track the amount of sodium and
potassium I eat.

Yet another thing to measure. I'm turning into a health freak, no doubt
- but I don't want to have my fingers, feet & cheeks swell up from
eating too much salt; my blood pressure has always been good, even
though I used to eat a *lot* of salt, but this bloating can't be healthy
(and the extra weight shows up on the scale, too).

Berna (101.5/73.1/~68 kg)


FWIW, Dutch teaspoons are half the size of British ones (ie 5 ml vs 10
ml). Dunno about American teaspoons.

Doug Freyburger schreef:
Berna Bleeker wrote:

The weight have use if you only want the potassium.

100 grams of salt at 41% KCl is 41 grams of FCl. The ratio of K
to Cl is 39/(39+35), basically half plus. Half plus of 41 grams
is about 21 grams. So 100 grams of the salt would be about 21
grams of potassium. More decimal places aren't going to help
mcuh.

And the ratio of Na to Cl would be 23/(23+35), right?


Times the percentage of NaCl in your salt. Correct.


Since daily target for potassium is 1-2 grams, you'd want 5-10
grams of the salt daily minus your best guess at potassium in
food.

In the US that's about what Lite Salt is, but it's an even
better mixture since it includes magnesium. Call it a teaspoon
per day.

Thank you very much! :-) Now I can track the amount of sodium and
potassium I eat.


Low carbers like lite salt (50-50 sodium chloride and potassium
chloride) for the extra potassium. Low fatters like lite salt
for the lower sodium. The stuff's a wonder product.

So it is, and IMO it tastes just as good as pure NaCl. And I don't have
to use more of it; today I cooked my evening meal (2 chicken breasts and
a big pak-choi salad) with just 0.3 teaspoon. Total sodium today 1892
mg, potassium 5644. :-)

Berna (101.5/73/~68 kg)

--
( )_( ) Berna M. Bleeker-Slikker
/ . . \
\ \@/ / http://www.volksliedjes.nl

jake schreef:
Berna Bleeker wrote:

Doug Freyburger schreef:

Ignoramus3395 wrote:

Berna Bleeker wrote:


Lately I have been trying to limit not only my calories, but also



the

amount of salt I eat, so I've been using a diet salt they sell here



in

the Netherlands. It has 41% NaCl, 41% KCl, 17% MgCl, 0.1% calcium,
0.005% iodine, and 0.895% 'trace elements'. I would like to enter



it in

Fitday as a custom food, but the problem is, I've no idea how to
calculate the amounts of sodium, potassium and magnesium. I've



found a

site that has the atomic weights of the elements: sodium



22.989770(2),

potassium 39.0983, magnesium 24.3006(6), chlorine 35.4527(9); but



I've

had just 1 year of chemistry at school, and that was a looong time



ago,

so that still doesn't tell me anything. Does anyone here know



enough

chemistry to calculate it for me?



I do not think that you need to know the atomic weights. If the
percentages that you listed above are by weight, then, take the grams
of salt that you ate, multiply it by the percentage number and divide
by 100, you would get the grams of elements that you mentioned.

If you, say, ate 10 grams of that "salt", you would have eaten 4.1
grams of NaCL etc.

Remember, all that a percent (%) is 1/100. There is no more to the
notion of a percent than knowing that one percent is 1/100.




The weight have use if you only want the potassium.

100 grams of salt at 41% KCl is 41 grams of FCl. The ratio of K
to Cl is 39/(39+35), basically half plus. Half plus of 41 grams
is about 21 grams. So 100 grams of the salt would be about 21
grams of potassium. More decimal places aren't going to help
mcuh.



And the ratio of Na to Cl would be 23/(23+35), right?

Since daily target for potassium is 1-2 grams, you'd want 5-10
grams of the salt daily minus your best guess at potassium in
food.

In the US that's about what Lite Salt is, but it's an even
better mixture since it includes magnesium. Call it a teaspoon
per day.



Thank you very much! :-) Now I can track the amount of sodium and
potassium I eat.

Yet another thing to measure. I'm turning into a health freak, no
doubt - but I don't want to have my fingers, feet & cheeks swell up
from eating too much salt; my blood pressure has always been good,
even though I used to eat a *lot* of salt, but this bloating can't be
healthy (and the extra weight shows up on the scale, too).

Berna (101.5/73.1/~68 kg)


FWIW, Dutch teaspoons are half the size of British ones (ie 5 ml vs 10
ml). Dunno about American teaspoons.

Google says an American teaspoon is 4.92892161 ml, which is close enough
to a Dutch teaspoon for me. BTW, it also says "1 Imperial teaspoon =
5.91939047 ml" when you ask it "1 british teaspoon in ml". Did you know
you can convert almost any units with Google? See
http://www.googleguide.com/calculator.html and
http://www.waxy.org/archive/2003/08/14/fun_with.shtml. I use this all
the time to convert units for entering stuff in Fitday.

Berna (101.5/73/~68 kg)

--
( )_( ) Berna M. Bleeker-Slikker
/ . . \
\ \@/ / http://www.volksliedjes.nl

Berna Bleeker wrote:

jake schreef:

Berna Bleeker wrote:

Doug Freyburger schreef:

Ignoramus3395 wrote:

Berna Bleeker wrote:


Lately I have been trying to limit not only my calories, but also




the

amount of salt I eat, so I've been using a diet salt they sell here




in

the Netherlands. It has 41% NaCl, 41% KCl, 17% MgCl, 0.1% calcium,
0.005% iodine, and 0.895% 'trace elements'. I would like to enter




it in

Fitday as a custom food, but the problem is, I've no idea how to
calculate the amounts of sodium, potassium and magnesium. I've




found a

site that has the atomic weights of the elements: sodium




22.989770(2),

potassium 39.0983, magnesium 24.3006(6), chlorine 35.4527(9); but




I've

had just 1 year of chemistry at school, and that was a looong time




ago,

so that still doesn't tell me anything. Does anyone here know




enough

chemistry to calculate it for me?




I do not think that you need to know the atomic weights. If the
percentages that you listed above are by weight, then, take the grams
of salt that you ate, multiply it by the percentage number and divide
by 100, you would get the grams of elements that you mentioned.

If you, say, ate 10 grams of that "salt", you would have eaten 4.1
grams of NaCL etc.

Remember, all that a percent (%) is 1/100. There is no more to the
notion of a percent than knowing that one percent is 1/100.





The weight have use if you only want the potassium.

100 grams of salt at 41% KCl is 41 grams of FCl. The ratio of K
to Cl is 39/(39+35), basically half plus. Half plus of 41 grams
is about 21 grams. So 100 grams of the salt would be about 21
grams of potassium. More decimal places aren't going to help
mcuh.




And the ratio of Na to Cl would be 23/(23+35), right?

Since daily target for potassium is 1-2 grams, you'd want 5-10
grams of the salt daily minus your best guess at potassium in
food.

In the US that's about what Lite Salt is, but it's an even
better mixture since it includes magnesium. Call it a teaspoon
per day.




Thank you very much! :-) Now I can track the amount of sodium and
potassium I eat.

Yet another thing to measure. I'm turning into a health freak, no
doubt - but I don't want to have my fingers, feet & cheeks swell up
from eating too much salt; my blood pressure has always been good,
even though I used to eat a *lot* of salt, but this bloating can't be
healthy (and the extra weight shows up on the scale, too).

Berna (101.5/73.1/~68 kg)


FWIW, Dutch teaspoons are half the size of British ones (ie 5 ml vs 10
ml). Dunno about American teaspoons.


Google says an American teaspoon is 4.92892161 ml, which is close enough
to a Dutch teaspoon for me. BTW, it also says "1 Imperial teaspoon =
5.91939047 ml" when you ask it "1 british teaspoon in ml". Did you know
you can convert almost any units with Google? See
http://www.googleguide.com/calculator.html and
http://www.waxy.org/archive/2003/08/14/fun_with.shtml. I use this all
the time to convert units for entering stuff in Fitday.

Berna (101.5/73/~68 kg)

Thank you for the info, very itneresting. My source was Johannes van
Dam, who says teaspoons are often translated wrong in cookbooks.