Sea Salt Versus Table Salt: Which is Better?
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Sea salt and table salt have the same basic nutritional value, according to the Mayo Clinic. Indeed, both sea salt and table salt consist primarily of sodium and chloride.
Sea salt is often marketed as a more natural and healthy alternative. "The real differences between sea salt and table salt are in their taste, texture and processing, not their chemical makeup," says Mayo Clinic nutritionist, Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
Sea salt is produced through evaporation of seawater, usually with little processing, which leaves behind some trace minerals and elements depending on its water source. These insignificant amounts of minerals add flavor and color to sea salt, which also comes in a variety of coarseness levels, says Zeratsky.
Table salt, on the other hand, is mined from underground salt deposits. "Table salt is more heavily processed to eliminate trace minerals and usually contains an additive to prevent clumping," says Zeratsky. "Most table salt also has added iodine, an essential nutrient that appears naturally in minute amounts in sea salt."
Salt is just one source of the sodium you consume every day. Many processed foods contain sodium in other forms while some medicines are high in sodium. According to the American Heart Association, be aware of all your sources of sodium and aim to eat less than 2,300 mg of sodium per day. Some people, including middle-aged and older adults, and people with high blood pressure, need less than 1,500 mg per day.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Kevin Oct 23rd 2009 9:15AM
Who paid Mayo for this, I will eat my salt without aluminum!
Most of the valuable minerals in salt are removed in processing while additives are incorporated - like aluminum silicate (used in the manufacture of glass, ceramics, paints, printing inks, rubber, and plastics), other anti-caking agents, preservatives, dextrose (a sugar synthetically derived from starch), and the inorganic compound potassium iodide or potassium iodate (to combat iodine deficiency thyroid disease). Salt like other spices may be irradiated.
Most salt produced in the US is used for industrial purposes (as a source of chlorine for example) and not for consumption, but if Americans are consuming too much, maybe it’s because their bodies are begging for it. In fact, salt is essential to our health. Water and salt are important and powerful regulators of metabolic processes. But again, we’re not talking about the stuff ordinarily referred to as salt which is nothing but sodium, chloride and additives (natural unrefined salt has 82 other minerals!). Table salt is toxic to the body.
thziho84 Oct 23rd 2009 9:27AM
Kevin must have a job selling sea salt
tony Oct 29th 2009 7:38AM
Kevin you are off your rocker.Salt (na cl) is salt.As for additives,I can't believe you actually believe the garbage you are spouting.Table salt is definitely not harmful. Look it up Kevin, the Iodine is an essential part of the diet.It is like the fluoride that is added to water.It is there if one needs it,and will not hurt you if one doesn't.Everything is NOT a conspiracy,Kevin
k Oct 29th 2009 9:38AM
Good lord, another pseudo scientist. Let's bring up irradiation (harmless), aluminum, anything else? And what do you think is in sea salt? Fish poop? Whale puke?
toncrayjr Oct 29th 2009 8:29PM
Iodine was added to salt to help prevent goiter. When I was a kid, 70 plus years ago, many of the people in my part of the country (Chicago area) had a goiter. Now when I go back there I never see people with a goiter. So, the addition of iodine is a good thing and I will take it thank you.
maxlxii Oct 29th 2009 9:15PM
This article sucked. I still do not see which this knumbnut of a writer considers the best answer...
juswan66 Oct 29th 2009 9:22PM
Right on. Have you ever heard of Corrected Salt.??
Tam92846 Oct 29th 2009 9:36PM
NaCl-sodium chloride. Don't tell this RN that table salt is dangerous? I'm from Salt Lake City, Utah.
donoat Oct 23rd 2009 9:57AM
Kevin,
I wonder how toxic table salt is? Your staement doesn't explain why.
I know Diet drinks can be toxic in the right circumstances. But that doesn't mean everyone will die from them. Perhaps you mean "possibly detrimental to your health", if that is in fact the case.
I have heard there is some bad stuff in table salt. How about Kosher salt? Does that have less of the junk used to make "free flowing" table salt?
I have wonderedd about this and rarely use table salt - except when eating out and the only salt is - you guessed it - table salt.
I suppose I could ask if it is table salt or something different but I hesitate to ask if salt on the table is table salt.
I also wondered if this sea salt situation is just a fad or marketing ploy.
Your thoughts....
ronnierag Oct 23rd 2009 10:18AM
You must use much more sea salt to get the same flavor because of the clumps.
I can't believe this isn't more highly publicized.
This dumb fad is going to increase sodium levels in people who don’t really need to be adding salt to their diets.
Mouse Oct 29th 2009 6:19AM
That is not true ronnierag.
We dumped morton salt out a long time ago and have used sea salt since. You use it just like the toxic morton salt. It is just as salty.
tjmxxx Oct 23rd 2009 10:26AM
Salt is good for you, new medical research is just beginning to realize this fact. Iodine is not good for you, and should have been eliminated from salt years ago.
Carl Willoughby Oct 23rd 2009 10:54AM
Table salt is actually 97.5% sodium chloride and 2.5% chemicals such as moisture absorbents, and iodine.
Dried at over 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit, the excessive heat alters the natural chemical structure
of the salt. What remains after typical salt is "chemically cleaned" is sodium chloride.
This form of salt is in almost every preserved
product that we eat. Table salt very often
contains potentially dangerous preservatives.
Calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, and aluminum hydroxide are often added to improve
the ability of table salt to pour. Iodine and fluoride
which are added to salt could potentially be toxic.
Aluminum is a light alloy that deposits into your brain -
and is a potential cause of Alzheimer's disease.
Many people believe sea salt is a healthy alternative to table salt. This is no longer the case.
The oceans are being used as dumping grounds
for harmful toxic poisons like mercury, PCBs, dioxin and even oil spills.
89% of all the sea salt producers are now refining their salt. Today's sea salt simply isn't as healthy
as it used to be.
To learn about a healthy holistic salt, sign up for a
free newsletter at:
http://www.UltimateHealthInfoProduct.com/
After you receive the newsletter, do a search on
salt and watch the video. Hope that helps.
Ruukasu2005 Oct 29th 2009 4:51PM
This is a very good report. It also seems people outside United States uses less processed foods if at all. It's no wonder why United States is the world's most obese country.
Essexknight Oct 29th 2009 8:36PM
Aluminum is an element, not an alloy. Alloy is a mixture of metals
peppylemew Oct 29th 2009 9:08PM
That's why I like pink salt from the Himalayas. It is from ancient oceans from an unpolluted time. It also looks beautiful in my salt grinder!
jerry Oct 23rd 2009 11:35AM
Yes, salt in moderation is not that bad for you. The fact that almost all processed food is full of salt and in this lies the problem. If all your food is organic then you will need a another source of at least 1500mg of salt in your diet. Basically all processed food is bad for you when it comes to salt!
Pam Oct 23rd 2009 12:14PM
This article downplays the huge differences between sea salt and table salt. Sea salt is a naturally occurring substance, while table salt is an unnatural chemical concoction made in factories, and it contains unhealthful additives besides.
I switched to sea salt because I have high blood pressure, and sea salt does not raise my blood pressure, whereas table salt is a known blood pressure agent. I'm guessing the same would be true for others suffering from blood pressure problems. Table salt has a terrible chemical taste, which you really notice after you've been using sea salt for awhile.
Just the mere fact that doctors advise people with a variety of conditions to avoid table salt tells the story. Sea salt is safe to use, and the flavor is excellent. If you're going to salt your food, sea salt is a far better alternative.
You don't have to salt your food if you eat foods high in natural salt and iodine. Your body needs salt, but it can get much of what it needs from fresh vegetables like celery; eating raw celery is a known blood pressure reducer as well. You can also eat sea vegetables like kelp or dulse to get salt and iodine.
LoanMagicLady Oct 23rd 2009 4:44PM
If you put table salt into water - it doesn't make it salt water... simply water with salt IN IT! Also, besides the good points above - there are many benefits to sea salt, but especially the added minerals and how our bodies assimilate natural sea salt vs. salt with added chemicals! Duh.
aerkokevin Oct 27th 2009 8:38AM
I am always amused by people who say that naturals thing like sea salt are better and safer for consumption just because they're natural. Hey people! Snake venom is natural! Arsenic is Natural! Develop a better argument before posting please. OBTW, our home has three types of salt in the kitchen this morning, depending on what's cookin'.