Table of contents:
- The difference between sea salt and common table salt
- Which is better, sea salt or table salt?
- Is sea salt healthier?
Nowadays food products related to health are increasingly easy to find and are sold everywhere. It's not just food or drink, salt now has a 'healthier' version. You may have heard of sea salt, but do you know what the difference is betweensea salt aka sea salt with the salt you usually use?
The difference between sea salt and common table salt
The main difference between sea salt and common table salt is the taste, texture, and manufacturing process. Sea salt or sea salt is produced by evaporating seawater or from saltwater lakes. The minerals and components contained in sea salt depend on what type of water is used. It is this mineral that gives sea salt its color and flavor and determines the texture and roughness of the salt.
While table salt is usually the result of mining and undergoes a longer processing to increase its storage capacity. Table salt also usually contains additives to prevent salt from clumping. But table salt that is sold in the market has added iodine, an essential nutrient that helps maintain healthy thyroid function.
Although sea salt is said to be healthier than table salt, in fact both sea salt and table salt have roughly the same nutritional value. For example, in the same quantity and weight, sea salt and table salt has a sodium content that is not much different.
Which is better, sea salt or table salt?
Although many say sea salt is better because it is more natural, the truth is that both sea salt and regular table salt have their respective advantages and disadvantages. Sea salt for example, a process that does not need to go through many steps such as table salt makes sea salt may contain a little more natural minerals. But because of the short process, if it is produced from a dirty sea it will cause the salt to be contaminated with dangerous compounds or components such as lead.
Meanwhile, table salt requires a long process so that most of the minerals contained in it are usually lost. Substances such as additives are also added to prevent the salt from clumping together. But not only is anti-clotting added to salt, most of the salt sold in the market has added iodine. Important nutrients that play a role in preventing diseases related to the thyroid, the most common of which is goiter. The addition of iodine in table salt is one of the successful steps to prevent iodine deficiency to overcome hypothyroidism or iodine deficiency. Iodine deficiency can also lead to mental disabilities and other health problems.
Is sea salt healthier?
Both table salt and sea salt are sources of sodium chloride (this is the scientific name for salt), there is no significant difference in composition between the two types of salt. Even though it said sea salt contains more minerals because it is more natural, including iron, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, potassium, chloride, zinc, and selenium. But the amount of minerals is deep sea salt spelled out a little. You can get more minerals in the food you eat daily than from salt.
Because it's good sea salt and table salt are both sources of sodium chloride, so excess consumption of both can cause bad effects on the body, one of the effects of excess sodium intake is hypertension. When the level of sodium in the blood increases, as a reaction our body will hold water out of the body's cells. This whole process results in an increase in blood pressure.
Even so, based on several surveys, most people tend to vote sea salt or various types of salt that are claimed to be healthier, for example himalayan sea salt, kosher salt, rock salt, and others even though the price can be many times higher than ordinary table salt. This is because according to them, these types of salt are more nutritious and beneficial to health because they are more natural.
This mindset can cause a person to tend to consume more salt than usual. Even though our daily salt consumption can exceed normal limits because of the many food products that contain hidden salt. The addition of salt to food will increase your risk of suffering from diseases related to excessive salt consumption.
In the end, salt does not function as a nutrient even though it may contain many minerals. The main function of salt is as a food flavoring. If you want to get the health benefits of minerals, it's a good idea to look for other mineral sources such as vegetables and fruit instead of relying on salt alone.
