Salt is present in almost every home and every restaurant in the world. And, for many people, food wouldn’t be as tasty if it weren’t for those several sprinkles of salt that make all the difference.
Salt was so beneficial that Roman soldiers used to receive payment in salt instead of in coins. This custom was the reason why today we have the world called “salary”.
Salt originates from the Latin word salus which means health. Life without salt or sodium is practically impossible. This is one of the four vital elements that we need for life.
The other three are water, potassium, and oxygen. Sodium is the third most important element after water. But, although the terms are often used interchangeably, sodium and salt aren’t the same. Sodium is a mineral and a nutrient which is naturally occurring.
Sodium is present in fresh fruits, legumes, and veggies. On the other hand, salt which we often add to foods, is used for preservation and flavoring. Salt is 40 percent sodium and 60 percent chloride. Sodium is vital for the body’s proper functioning. Sodium is lost when we perspire, cry, or through bodily waste.
Also, babies inside of the womb “swim” in a mixture of sodium water. Daily, the average person excretes waste and perspires so it’s vital to replace the lost sodium. This is why our diet is so important.
The sodium in our diet comes from three sources: salt naturally found in foods, salt added to foods commercially, and salt that we add to food that we cook or eat.
Table Salt: Is It Our Friend or a Foe?
Before salt gets to our table or enters our foods, it goes through an extensive process. It’s usually mined from underground salt deposits and then heavily processed to eliminate minerals, including trace ones like magnesium, calcium, and potassium, as well as impurities.
It’s also enriched with an additive to prevent clumping. Also known as anti-caking agents, some examples of the additives present in salt are calcium silicate, ferrocyanide, silicon dioxide, and yellow prussiate of soda.
What Are the Healthier & More Balanced Alternatives to Table Salt?
Celtic sea salt and Himalayan pink salt are great alternatives to table salt. They can be found at almost any supermarket. As naturally occurring mineral salts, they contain less sodium per gram.
Celtic sea salt is the brand name for a sea salt company that offers unprocessed, gourmet, whole, and authentic salt rich in naturally occurring and essential minerals. It’s free of additives and there’s nothing removed from the salt that would change it.
This is a naturally moist salt that’s harvested from the Atlantic seawater off the coast of Brittany, France. It’s harvested using the Celtic method using wooden rakes without any metal touching the salt to preserve the living enzymes.
Then, it’s left to naturally air and sun-dry in clay ponds. As it’s unrefined, it boasts all of the 84 beneficial live elements present in seawater, without any chemicals, preservatives, and additives.
This salt hydrates the cells, boosts the healing processes of the body thanks to the abundance of minerals, helps relieve a sore throat, balances the blood sugar levels, normalizes the blood pressure levels, etc.
Himalayan pink salt is a great option for everyone who wants to be strong and healthy. It’s natural and abundant in 82 minerals. It’s unrefined and has three different types of magnesium. The pink color is a result of the trace minerals inside this salt.
This salt will aid the body in restoring the mineral balance it needs. It provides alkalizing effects. It’s sourced from Pakistan by hand in the biggest salt mine in the world. It will supply your body with minerals like potassium, iron, calcium, and three types of magnesium (chloride, bromide, and sulfate).
The three magnesium types will “scan” the body tissues and search for surplus sodium that needs to be eliminated.
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