Q. Is Sea Salt Healthier Than Regular Salt?

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A. Even if you’re watching your sodium intake, you can enjoy sea salts. While gram for gram sea salts contain as much sodium as table salt, their larger crystals and unique flavors, derived from various sources, may result in your using less salt overall, says Chef Kyle Shadix, M.S., R.D., director at Nutrition + Culinary Consultants in New York City. Sel Gris de Í’lle de Ré gets its color from gray clay; Maldon has a distinct fine-flake crystal structure; and Himalayan Pink is named for the mountains where it’s mined. Another way to minimize sodium: don’t salt while you’re cooking and instead simply sprinkle a pinch of coarse sea salt on your finished dish before serving. Find interesting sea salts at gourmet shops or online at atthemeadow.com.

COMMENTS	POSTED
Refined table salt is a chemical. It is 99.99 pure sodium chloride. The chemical companies that make refined table salt actually remove all of the trace minerals and elements from natural mineral salts. They then coat the salts with anti-caking agents to keep it from sticking together. Natural sea salt is simply solar dried ocean water without any additives. It seems fairly obvious which one would be better tolerated by the human body. One is a chemical and the other is gourmet food. — Anonymous	04/30/2010 - 2:31pm
The idea of sea salt makes me shudder- how much whale pee is in that stuff? and clay? aaaargh just too unsanitary for me. Give me kosher any day. — Anonymous	02/18/2010 - 4:33pm
My biggest problem in reducing salt intake is eating out. They really salt things up -- even when I ask them not to add salt. So I solved the problem. I just don't eat out much. When I do, it's mostly a grilled chicken salad -- but a big fat, juicy steak once in a while may not kill you. — Anonymous	02/18/2010 - 2:22pm
I have no answer in regards to "is sea salt healthier", but I do know that since I started using sea salt years ago I find the flavor much more enjoyable than regular table salt. I also find that I have to use less, which contributes to being "healthier" in the sense that decreasing sodium intake is better for you. And it does contain minerals, which may benefit the body as well. As far as the iodine, sea salt is naturally free of iodine, but there are many brands that now "iodize" their sea salts, which means that iodine has been added to the product. The brand I use, Hain, is inexpensive (about $1.74 per canister, same size as regular salt) and is iodized. Hope this helps. — Anonymous	02/17/2010 - 8:59pm
Regular (iodized) table salt not only contains anti-caking agents, it contains sugar! Most people don't realize this--just take a look at the label. I learned many years ago that adding sugar cuts the some of the salty taste--hence, people tend to use more of the table salt and inadvertently adding more sodium to their diets. For some reason, uniodized table salt does not contain sugar. — Anonymous	02/17/2010 - 6:26pm
As I understand it, there is no iodine in sea salt. Strange, eh? I've also wondered about the thyroid/iodine issue. I remember years ago seeing people with big goiters on their throats. I have to assume that most people are still using salt with iodine added, or are eating more seafood (that's certainly true--there was a time when seafood wasn't available most places in the midwest) and are getting iodine in their multi-vitamins. Mine has 150 mcg, which is supposedly 100% of our daily requirement. — Anonymous	02/17/2010 - 3:21pm
I use sea salt all the time! and have for many years. — Anonymous	02/17/2010 - 12:00pm
I'm curious! Is there as much iodine in the sea salt? I feel eliminating salt from our diets has caused thyroid problems for a lot of people as they seldom like the vegys that have the iodine in them and your thyroid needs it. — Anonymous	02/17/2010 - 11:58am
I have high blood pressure and regular salt makes my bp rise but sea salt has no effect, so I can eat sea salt and have flavor — Anonymous	02/16/2010 - 10:14pm
I have found that sea salt adds a layer of flavor I never noticed with table salt or even kosher salt. I use almost no salt when I am cooking and have not salted my food for years to keep blood pressure down. As a result I am very salt sensitive and won't eat potato chips if they taste salty. I know I am low on sodium if really salty foods DO NOT taste salty and that I can safely indulge in a few chips. — Anonymous	02/16/2010 - 9:09pm