Salt: Everything You Want to Know About This Kitchen Staple

Do we need salt in our diet? Which type of salt is the healthiest?  What do we need to keep in mind when using salt? This article discussed everything you need to know about salt.

Salt

Salt is a crystalline mineral made of two elements, sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl). Sodium is an essential mineral that plays a role in our bodily functions including fluid balance, brain and nerve conduction, and iodine deficiency.  

The most common purpose of salt is to flavor foods and dishes making it a staple ingredient in the kitchen. “A pinch of salt to taste,” as most of the recipes indicate.

Types of Salts

These are the most common types of salts. 

Table Salt. This is the most common salt among all types. It is highly refined with most of its trace minerals removed which gives the impression that it is less healthy than the least processed types of salt. 

Iodine is commonly added to table salt to many parts of the world including here in the Philippines. It is an essential nutrient needed by the body as it is an integral part of the thyroid hormone responsible for the regulation of body temperature, metabolic rate, reproduction, growth, nerve, and muscle functions. Adding iodine to table salt is a public health preventive measure against iodine deficiency in many parts of the world. 

Can you remember the jingle, “Iodized salt, iodized salt. Mag-iodized salt tayo”? This became popular in the 90’s when Republic Act 8172 or An Act Promoting Salt Iodization Nationwide (ASIN) Law was enacted in 1995 spearheaded by the Department of Health and National Nutrition Council. 

A 2014 systematic review with meta-analyses on the effect and safety of salt iodization to prevent iodine deficiency disorders by the World Health Organization showed that iodized salt has a large effect on reducing the risk of goiter, cretinism, low cognitive function, and iodine deficiency. 

The problem with the highly processed salt is the need to add substances like anti-caking agents which is usually a chemical such as calcium silicate to prevent it from clumping together. These anti-caking agents make it unnatural and processed, and could potentially be harmful to health but more research is still needed to validate the claim. 

Sea Salt. This is made by evaporating seawater, thus, the name. It has become popular due to its “natural” label. Depending on its source and how it was processed, it usually contains trace minerals like potassium, iron, and zinc. The minerals add flavor and color to sea salt. Which also comes in a variety of coarseness. 

Due to ocean pollution, sea salt may harbor trace amounts of heavy metals like lead. Moreover, a 2017 study published that sea salt may now contain microplastics which are small pieces of plastics less than 0.2 pinches (5mm) in diameter. They tested 17 salt brands originating from 8 different countries. As a result, microplastics were absent in one brand while others contained between 1 to 10 microplastics per kilogram of salt. 

Himalayan Pink Salt. This type of salt is extracted from the Khewra Salt Mine, which is located near the Himalayas in  Pakistan. 

This salt is hand-extracted and minimally processed to yield an unrefined product that is free of additives. It contains trace amounts of iron oxide (rust) that give it a pink color. Some people estimate that it may contain 84 different minerals and trace elements. However, little research on this type of salt exists to validate the minerals and their amounts and if they can provide any health benefits compared to other types of salts. 

Himalayan Black Salt. As its name implies, Himalayan Black Salt is an Indian volcanic rock salt from the salt mines in different locations in the Himalayas. It is also known as Kala namak or Indian Black Salt. 

This type of black salt has a unique flavor profile and a distinctive sulfurous aroma. It is a great umami enhancer and its taste has been comparable to egg which makes it commonly used in any dish that incorporates vegan egg substitutes like tofu scramble, chickpea omelet, and vegan fried rice. 

The other types of black salt are black ritual salt which is not for eating and the black lava salt which is sea salt that is blended with activated charcoal. 

Nutritional Properties, Mineral Content Comparison: Which is the Healthiest?

One study determined the traces of mineral content in each type of salt in the table which shows a comparison between one gram each of table salt, Maldon salt (a typical sea salt), and Himalayan salt:

From this data, Himalayan salt topped the other two on most of the mineral content. It contains a bit more potassium and magnesium and least sodium. 

However, these are so little differences and these are negligible traces of minerals in each serving. In order to meet the daily requirements for each, you need to eat a lot of it which is at least 100 times more and you know it is unhealthy and unrealistic at all. 

If the reason for choosing one salt over another is the mineral content, the differences are not significant. I recommend that you obtain those specific minerals from whole plant foods.

Dietary Recommendations on Sodium

The World Health Organization recommends that adults should only consume less than 2,000 milligrams of sodium or 5 grams of salt per day. 

Keep in mind that these are upper limits and less is usually better, especially if you feel that you’re sensitive to the effects of sodium. 

There are risks to consuming too much salt but research indicates that not eating enough salt is also a risk in itself. 

According to the 2012 Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos, salt and soy cause were among the top 10 widely used miscellaneous food items used by Filipinos. One teaspoon of table salt has approximately 2,300mg of sodium which is already more than the recommended intake. Moreover, one tablespoon of soy sauce typically contains 1,000mg of sodium which is nearly half of the recommended limit for the entire day. With only these two staples in diet, we, Filipinos, really need to be conscious of our salt (or sodium) intake. 

Other sources of sodium to take note are processed and prepared foods where the other bulk of the salt is. These include salted snack foods, instant noodles and foods, bread, pizza, bacon, cheese, soups, fast foods, and other ready-eat-foods. 

Try these strategies to cut back on sodium; 

• Limit or avoid sodium-rich foods, and eat more whole plant-based foods that naturally contain less sodium. 
• Choose or find low-sodium products. Check the label if it has a sodium content of less than 5-10% or not more than 200mg of sodium per serving like liquid aminos which contains 90mg of sodium per teaspoon to substitute the regular soy sauce which contains 320mg per teaspoon. 
• Remove or reduce salt from recipes whenever possible. 
• Substitute salt with herbs, spices, and other natural flavorings to season foods. Try fresh or dried herbs, spices, and juice from citrus fruit for your meals. 
• Limit or avoid sodium-containing compounds such as monosodium glutamate (MSG), baking soda, and baking powder.
• Consume naturally salty foods like celery, miso, beans and legumes, and olives. 

Final Thoughts

Salt is indeed one of the most common staple ingredients across all cuisines. It contains sodium which plays a role in supporting bodily functions. 

The common types of salts are table salt, sea salt, and Himalayan pink salt and black salt.  

Which type of salt is the healthiest? 

There are no studies yet comparing the health benefits of the different types of salt. However, unrefined salts like sea salt, and Himalayan pink and black salt contain fewer additives.  

If you were diagnosed with iodine deficiency and chose not to include iodine-enriched table salt, make a conscious effort to incorporate other foods that are high in iodine like seaweed (kombu, nori, arame, and wakame). Other plant food sources include beans, peanuts, and potatoes with peels.

It will be up to you on which type of salt best suits you, your current health condition, your budget, needs, and preference in terms of texture, grain size, and flavor. The more important thing is to use any type of salt in moderation. Do not exceed the daily recommended intake of fewer than 2,000 mg per day. 

Author: Roni Matalog