Which is better--Table Salt or Sea Salt?

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PlainJade13
PlainJade13 Posts: 22
in Food and Nutrition
Is it a myth that sea salt is better or is it really true?
I was asking because I have a sea salt grinder and would like to start using it. :]

What are your personal findings?

Replies

  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
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    http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/sea-salt/AN01142

    Is sea salt better for your health than table salt?
    Answer
    from Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
    No. Sea salt and table salt have the same basic nutritional value, despite the fact that sea salt is often marketed as a more natural and healthy alternative. The real differences between sea salt and table salt are in their taste, texture and processing, not their chemical makeup.

    Sea salt is produced through evaporation of seawater, usually with little processing, which leaves behind certain trace minerals and elements depending on its water source. The minerals add flavor and color to sea salt, which also comes in a variety of coarseness levels.

    Table salt is mined from underground salt deposits. Table salt is more heavily processed to eliminate minerals and usually contains an additive to prevent clumping. Most table salt also has added iodine, an essential nutrient that's lacking in naturally occurring sea salt.

    By weight, sea salt and table salt contain the same amount of sodium chloride. Your body needs only a very tiny amount of salt to stay healthy. Most people get far too much — mostly from processed foods. So regardless of which type of salt you prefer, use a light hand with the saltshaker. And limit total sodium to less than 2,300 milligrams a day — or 1,500 milligrams if you're age 51 or older, or if you are black, or if you have high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney disease.
  • PlainJade13
    PlainJade13 Posts: 22
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    Oh thank you!
    Was wondering because a coworker said that sea salt works wonders for her joints---they don't swell when she uses sea salt vs. table salt.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
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    Surprisingly enough, most table salt is sea salt, in that they get it from sea water. Very little mined rock salt is actually food grade. The vast majority of salt comes from the sea. To be honest, the only real difference between sea salt and table salt is sea salt is harvested, washed, and packaged, while table salt is ground to a uniform size before packaging. Personally I use kosher salt when cooking.
  • jamiesadler
    jamiesadler Posts: 634 Member
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    Oh thank you!
    Was wondering because a coworker said that sea salt works wonders for her joints---they don't swell when she uses sea salt vs. table salt.

    If you drink more water it will also help with joint swelling due to salt.
  • blynn2708
    blynn2708 Posts: 275 Member
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    I personally like to cook with seasalt because it gives my food a different flavor:wink:
  • delilah47
    delilah47 Posts: 1,658
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    Think about it. Table salt and sea salt are both the same. All salt, which we use for our food, is taken from deposits of former oceans/salt water. Don't forget; unless you take a supplement, the only place you can get iodine is from your table salt. Iodine is a requirement by your body.
  • santent
    santent Posts: 7
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    Neither. There are so many Sodium free Spices that you can use besides just salt.
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
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    Oh thank you!
    Was wondering because a coworker said that sea salt works wonders for her joints---they don't swell when she uses sea salt vs. table salt.

    I believe that sea salt is better. There are trace minerals in sea salt that are not found in table salt and because it has a stronger taste it takes way less to season food, therefore you are consuming less sodium overall....simply by using less.

    My husband has been able to control his blood pressure by us switching to sea salt and has been able to get off of his meds.

    We use many different sea salts in different colors and textures for cooking.

    http://www.naturalnews.com/033716_sea_salt_health_benefits.html
  • _LilPowerHouse
    _LilPowerHouse Posts: 365 Member
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    Personally I feel that Sea salt tastes better than just regular table salt. and I also like to use coarse Kosher salt, it also tastes better in my opinion.
  • kobiemom
    kobiemom Posts: 218 Member
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    Table salt has iodine added to it because there aren't many sources of iodine in our foods other than seafood. Low iodine levels can result from using sea salt exclusively.
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
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    Think about it. Table salt and sea salt are both the same. All salt, which we use for our food, is taken from deposits of former oceans/salt water. Don't forget; unless you take a supplement, the only place you can get iodine is from your table salt. Iodine is a requirement by your body.

    Wrong, you can get iodine from eating shrimp and other shellfish.
  • Sp1nGoddess
    Sp1nGoddess Posts: 1,138 Member
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    I used Redmond's Real Salt - it has a sweeter flavor and more minerals. (although in trace amounts)

    www.realsalt.com

    Some sea salt comes in slightly larger flakes, you can use less that way because you taste it more. (fleur de sel)

    I think that the sodium to be wary of is the type found in processed foods vs. table salt.

    I personally prefer the taste of sea or ancient salt and when you grind it yourself you can choose the texture.

    I asked my doc about the Iodine thing and he said that natural sea salt does have iodine. And yes you can get it from eating seafood, eggs, potatoes, milk, & cheese believe it or not. You need more than 1/2 a teaspoon of table salt to get the RDA for iodine.
  • NKF92879
    NKF92879 Posts: 601 Member
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    The way it was explained to me...

    Sea salt is sometime a better choice because people tend to use less of it. It may be because it's in larger pieces (coarser grain, if you will) and we taste it more.
  • htowers5
    htowers5 Posts: 7 Member
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    Neither. There are so many Sodium free Spices that you can use besides just salt.

    What he said.
  • kiminikimkim
    kiminikimkim Posts: 746 Member
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    Get any type of salt you prefer but make sure it is in rock form. I find by using rock salt in a Salt Grinder (with ceramic grinder parts) I use less salt than using the salt shaker.

    Set it to extra fine and grind about 12" above the dish (same distance you see chefs season their food on tv). It comes out like a fine powder, giving better coverage. You get the saltiness with less salt.
  • PeggyWoodson
    PeggyWoodson Posts: 337 Member
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    Neither. Sea salt and regular salt have the same sodium. However, Kosher salt has less sodium in it if you are counting sodium.
  • PlainJade13
    PlainJade13 Posts: 22
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    Thank you all for the input. :]
    I think I'll switch over to sea salt then kosher for a week and see how it goes because I've noticed that my sodium gets darn near to red. (I love salty snacks!)
    Also, I have used sodium free spices and they work wonderfully when I am wanting to avoid salt.
    My grandmother, who is diabetic, uses a salt alternative. It tastes very similar to salt but it doesn't have the same oomph.
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
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    Neither. Sea salt and regular salt have the same sodium. However, Kosher salt has less sodium in it if you are counting sodium.

    All salt, kosher, rock, table and sea all have the same sodium.....however with coarse salt such as kosher, sea and rock salt the stronger flavor and coarseness you end up using less so the overall sodium intake is less simply from consuming less.

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