Contrary to belief, the nutritional content of both Sea Salt
and Table Salt is the same.
Both consist of the same amount of sodium and chloride by weight. However, Sea salt is coarser, therefore
less fits into 1 tsp. For example
1 tsp Table Salt is 6 gram equaling around 2000mg sodium. In comparison, 1 tsp Sea Salt is 5 gm
equaling around 1900 mg sodium.
The difference is small, and portion size plays a big role. If you use more than 1 tsp of Sea Salt
the benefits are void.
Sea Salt is often promoted as a healthier, more natural
choice. This is not due to its nutritional
content or sodium level, but by its processing method. Sea Salt is made from the evaporation
of seawater, while Table Salt is mined from salt deposits underground. The main added plus of Sea Salt is that
it is produced with little processing while Table Salt is more heavily
processed and usually contains an additive to prevent clumping.
The bottom line is Sea Salt has a small added plus when in
comparison to Table Salt. I
would recommend using which ever salt suits your taste buds better, but use
each sparingly. Our body only
needs 2400 mg per day, which we get from the variety of foods we eat daily,
therefore we want to limit or stop adding salt to our foods.
Estelle L. Benoit, RD, LDN
Source:
Mayoclinic.com