Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Why sea salt is good for you over table salt?

All living creatures require salt to stay alive, particularly human beings as humans are made up of around 72% water and 28% mineral salts, (also some bacteria, fatty acids and proteins). When it comes to cooking, salt is one of the essential items and a basic mineral for your body to perform optimally. However, human body cannot make salt and thus, it is derived from external sources such as food. These days, salt comes in various forms like table salt, sea salt, iodized salt, and kosher salt. This leads people to look for a healthier salt. Taking into consideration the purpose of the topic here is emphasized just on sea salt and table salt. Sea salt is considered to be a healthier option than traditional table salt; do you know the reason behind it? Simply go through this article and you will come to know why sea salt is good for you over table salt?

Why sea salt is good for you over table salt?

There are many advantages to switching out your usual iodized table salt for unrefined sea salt - besides delicious taste that several say sea salt possesses, there are certainly numerous reasons you may wish to consider preferring sea salt. You will be amazed by knowing that the variations among “table salt” (also called refined salt) and sea salt (unrefined natural salt) are as big as the variations among white sugar and freshly cut sugar cane. These diversities can have a huge impact on staying healthy, or increasing your risk of diseases you want to avoid.


Difference between Sea salt and Table salt / Sea salt v/s Table salt

You should have a basic knowledge about both sea salt and table salt in order to understand the difference between them. Sea salt is prepared by evaporation of sea water without much processing and it can hold small numbers of whatever minerals may have been in the water too. On the other hand, table salt is generally derived from salt mines and undergoes deep-processing. Moreover, refined sea salt is also offered in the market, although in its pure form, it contains nearly 98% sodium chloride and the left behind 2% constitute the trace minerals. Consequently, pure sea salt has a little varied flavor and color, in comparison to the refined versions. If you would like your food to be least processed, you may want to select sea salt over table salt in your packaged foods and in the food you cook.

Sea Salt

Unrefined, natural sea salt is gray with minerals and feels humid, and not white and dry. A few artisanal natural salts are pink, yellowish or also black to expose the various mineral sources they come from. Sea salt adds over just saltiness to foods - based on where it comes from, it can add a clue of flavor - from bitter to sweet (plus salty). Sea salt contains the needed minerals of potassium, calcium, magnesium, and bromide, to name a few. These extra minerals are not acquired with table salt, since they have all been stripped away by high-heat processing. The manufacturing companies label it as 'natural and healthy alternative' because many minerals are possessed in sea salt; however there is hardly any variation among the nutritional value of both.
You can get natural, unrefined salts at natural food stores, Whole Foods, and online. The more natural type of sea salt will be always darker in color since as the sea water evaporates, salt is dried out in 2 layers - a white top layer and a brown under layer. The significant minerals are contained in the brown under layer. When sea salt is dissolved or cooked, sea salt could lose its color and flavor. This salt is much used as crust for baked potatoes. As well Chefs utilize it in Thai or French cuisines.

Table Salt

Table salt is said to be free of impurities, as it undergoes refinement. It is mined from salt deposits and afterward processed to provide it a good texture, as a result it’s easier to mix and utilize in recipes. Table salt had just sodium and chloride minerals initially, and later on, salt manufacturers began including iodine to it to avert people from suffering from iodine deficiency diseases. The amount of iodine added to salt differs from country to country, and some manufacturers even add folic acid (vitamin B9) to table salt as it is necessary for pregnant women. A small amount of iodine is contained in sea salt, which seems to be inadequate to meet the necessity of human body, so table salt is chosen for this purpose.

Why Sea salt is better than Table salt?
  • Sea salt is not processed while Table salt is highly processed (never healthy).
  • Sea salt contains minerals like iron, sulfur and magnesium that are naturally present in it while table salt contains just sodium and chloride.
  • Sea salt has nothing artificial and nothing added while table salt has chemical anti-caking components.
  • Sea salt has a superior taste and texture compared to table salt because it holds trace of other minerals. These minerals assist preserve a healthy balance of electrolytes in the body.
  • Sea salt is not as 'salty' as table salt because of the existence of various minerals.
  • The refining procedure of table salt strips it of all of its minerals, except sodium and chloride. This makes it an unnatural stuff in comparison to sea salt.
  • Generally sea salts cost more than table salt, though they are worth the taste and testing and varying shapes and sizes could outcome in less overall sodium intake.
  • Skip table salt in cooking and keep a small amount of sea salt for finishing in order to lessen sodium intake.
  • The culinary advantages of sea salt can aid in your reduced-sodium diet by inserting adventure, color and flavor as a palatable choice over table salt.

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