According to Linda Page, author of "Cooking for Healthy Healing: The Healing Diets," sea salt forms when sea water evaporates, so it is a naturally occurring food that does not contain any additives. Sea salt in its natural form is high in many minerals, making it more nutritious, teaspoon for teaspoon, than regular table salt. Choosing sea salt can help you consume more essential nutrients and less sodium.
Less Sodium
A teaspoon of sea salt contains 1,900 mg of sodium compared with 2,400 mg in regular table salt, report Tammy Latkatos-Shames and Elysse Lakatos, authors of "The Secret to Skinny: How Salt Makes You Fat." Sea salt crystals are also larger than refined table salt. A teaspoon of sea salt goes much further than a teaspoon of regular salt: Since sea salt has a much stronger taste than table salt, you get the same flavor with fewer teaspoons. Sea salt is often used differently from table salt. You should add sea salt at the end of preparing a dish, because it loses its taste during the cooking process, note Latkatos-Shames and Latkatos. You may consume less sodium with sea salt, since you are not adding salt while your food is cooking.
More Mineral Content
Table salt is often refined to remove any impurities, but the refining process also strips away any minerals that the salt originally contained. Naturally derived sea salt is unrefined, so it has higher levels of calcium and potassium in addition to the sodium and chloride found in table salt, report Latkatos-Shames and Latkatos. Page adds that natural sea salt has very high levels of magnesium, a mineral important for the proper development and function of muscles, including the heart. In addition to consuming less sodium, you can increase your intake of certain minerals by using sea salt.
Helps Balance Sodium and Potassium
Sodium can have a harmful effect on your health if you consume too much. Sea salt can help you reduce your intake of sodium, because it also contains potassium, reports Page. Potassium is necessary to help your body utilize sodium by helping to balance the amount of sodium in your cells. This is another reason that sea salt may be a more healthful option.
References
- "Cooking for Healthy Healing: The Healing Diets"; Linda Page; 2002
- "The Secret to Skinny How Salt Makes You Fat, and the 4-Week Plan to Drop a Size and Get Healthier"; Tammy Latkatos-Shames and Elysse Lakatos; 2009
Member Comments