Sea Salt Vs Table Salt
Despite what recent research may suggest physicians and nutritionists know too much table salt is not good for you. It can cause fluid retention and can be very hard on the kidneys.
In a survey conducted by the American Heart Association, 61 percent of respondents incorrectly agreed that sea salt is a lower sodium alternative to table salt. Table salt and most sea salts contain about 40 percent sodium by weight.
Kosher salt and some sea salts may have larger crystal sizes than table salt, so they may have less sodium by volume (e.g., by teaspoon or tablespoon). A teaspoon of table salt has about 2,300 mg of sodium, but a teaspoon of sea salt or kosher salt may have less sodium because fewer crystals fit into the spoon.
Some varieties of sea salt may claim to have less sodium than table salt. You can check the Nutrition Facts label to compare how a given sea salt compares to table salt, which has about 575 mg sodium per ¼ teaspoon.
“It’s very important for people to be aware that sea salt often has as much sodium as table salt,” said Rachel K. Johnson, Ph.D., R.D., an American Heart Association spokeswoman and the Bickford Professor of Nutrition at the University of Vermont.
Heart Health and Sodium Intake
“One of the keys to maintaining a heart-healthy diet is to control your sodium intake,” she said. “If you’re consuming more sea salt than you otherwise would because you think it has less sodium, then you may be placing yourself at higher risk of developing high blood pressure, which raises your risk of heart disease.”
So there is your answer. Even though sea salt is presented as being the more healthier alternative to table salt. By weight, they are the same. The key, if you want to use either salt, is moderation. Also, be careful of salt substitutes that contain too much potassium which can also lead to various health problems.
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Wow! I never thought that one can keep one’s heart healthy by controlling one’s sodium intake. Speaking of heart, I am currently preparing our family’s Thanksgiving feast and I need to find ways to make the meal healthier. Thanks to your article, it gave me an idea to get sea salt and add it as seasoning to all the dishes I will make. Doing this will not only make them flavorful but keep everyone healthy as well. https://hawaiikaico.com/
Thank you for the feedback. It is much appreciated.
Thanks Eli for this post, this article help to write post about salt on my company blog https://www.puro.pk/puro-healthy-salt-unbleached-organic/
Your most certainly welcome
I read that presenting with a thyroid problem can cause hypertension. Is this accurate?
Hi Alice, It all depends on the problem with the thyroid and what caused the problem. If
you have concerns I would speak with your physician. Kindest Regards Eli.
Sea salts that are gathered from the ocean are increasingly found to be contaminated with micro-plastics. If you are going to use salt, it may be safer to use salt harvested from seabeds that existed many millions of years ago. Himalayan salt comes from ancient seabeds that existed before our modern times.
Hi George, Thank you for that information. Kindest Regards, Eli, Content Manager, RESPeRATE.