Which salt is the healthiest?

Walking the grocery store aisles offers many different choices for foods, but have you noticed there are now different options for salt? Some of the newest products are Himalayan salt and sea salt. Decreasing salt intake is especially important for those with hypertension or high blood pressure, so a healthier salt options would be a welcome find. So, is there a difference between these new salts and plain iodized table salt?

Himalayan salt sticks out on the baking aisle because of its pink color that come from traces of potassium, silicon, phosphorus, vanadium, and iron. Many of the health benefits touted about Himalayan salt are related to these trace elements minimizing how much sodium is in the salt. In truth, Himalayan salt contains 95-95% sodium chloride vs 100% sodium chloride that is found in table salt.

Sea salt is made by evaporating seawater. The main difference between sea salt and table salt is that sea salt does not have added iodine or anti-caking agents. Iodine was added to salt after a in 1924 due to poor iodine intake that lead to goiters (enlarged thyroid gland). Anti-caking agents are added to salt so that it can be stored in a variety of humidity levels without becoming solidified. Both contain similar amounts of sodium chloride and have the same effect on blood pressure.

While these new salt options may be beautiful on your table with their larger grains and colors, current evidence does not show that there are any known benefits from choosing these over table salt.