Locations:
Search IconSearch

Do Sea Salt, Kosher Salt and Pink Salt Beat Table Salt?

Plus 5 tips for lowering your salt intake

A bowl of pink sea salt

Pink Himalayan salt is trending on food blogs. Kosher salt is touted by chefs. Sea salt is everywhere. Are natural salts more nutritious than table salt?

Advertisement

Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy

You need some salt every day. This key mineral helps your body balance fluids. But so often, you end up getting far more than the recommended amount. We tapped registered dietitian Julia Zumpano, RD, LD, for the scoop about which salt is best.

Eating too much salt draws extra fluid into blood vessels. This raises your blood pressure, increasing your risk for heart disease and stroke. Eating too much salt can also leave you feeling heavy and bloated.

The appeal of alternatives

It’s no secret that too much salt is bad for you. So alternatives like sea salt seem tempting. Sea salt is made by evaporating sea water and contains no additives. Manufacturers sprinkle sea salt liberally on chips and pretzels and throw a “natural” claim on the label. And we’re eating it up — literally.

We’re also paying more for kosher salt and unrefined, colored salt. Like table salt, coarser kosher salt is mined from salt deposits but rarely contains additives.

Salts that are pink, red, blue or gray reflect trace minerals in the salt deposits where they were mined, from the Himalayan mountains to Hawaiian volcanoes.

So which is better?

So, are unrefined or less refined salts better than highly refined table salt?

The short answer is: not much.

No matter where it comes from, salt contains the same amount of sodium chloride, the culprit behind so many heart attacks and strokes.

Advertisement

Also, table salt may be more refined, but it’s the only salt with adequate amounts of iodine. You need this nutrient for general health and, especially, thyroid health.

Iodine deficiency can lead to goiter (massive swelling of the thyroid gland). Adding iodine to table salt in 1924 stopped the U.S. epidemic of goiter. Now, the rising popularity of sea salt, kosher salt and colored salt has some experts worried that goiter will reappear.

How much is too much salt?

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Americans consume an average of 3,400 milligrams of sodium per day. Yet we should consume no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium or one teaspoon per day.

Because 75% of the excess sodium in American diets comes from prepared and processed foods, the FDA has asked food companies and restaurants to lower their sodium levels over the next 10 years.

Meanwhile, here’s what you can do to lower your sodium intake:

  • Avoid processed foods. Anything that comes in a box, bag or can or that’s labeled “quick and easy” may be loaded with sodium.
  • Ask restaurants to hold the salt. When dining out, ask that foods be prepared without adding salt and ask for low sodium menu options.
  • Always read labels. Pay special attention to soups and processed meats like deli meats, hot dogs, sausage and ham. They’re packed with sodium.
  • Buy salt-free snacks. Choose low sodium or salt free varieties of crackers, nuts or snack foods to munch on. Consider naturally salt free whole foods such as yogurt, fresh fruit or vegetables.
  • Flavor foods with herbsspices, fresh garlic or onion. Hold the salt. Herbs won’t raise blood pressure, and many have anti-inflammatory benefits.

Advertisement

Learn more about our editorial process.

Related Articles

Wooden spoon with pink Himalayan salt over glass of water, with container of pink Himalayan salt
June 6, 2024/Nutrition
What Is Sole Water? And Why Are People Drinking It?

Adding salt to your water isn’t going to have measurable benefits — but there may be plenty of downsides

A wooden spoonful of salt on a granite tabletop with salt scattered around
February 28, 2024/Nutrition
Why Too Much Salt Can Be Bad for You

Excess salt and sodium consumption is a worldwide health concern

Person inhaling smelling salts from packet.
June 27, 2023/Exercise & Fitness
What Smelling Salts Do to Your Body

Unproven and unregulated, they aren’t the best choice to boost performance

watch your salt intake
February 11, 2022/Nutrition
How To Lower Your Salt Intake

Too much salt in your diet? Here’s how to cut back

A close up photo of a MSG powder in a bowl and spoon.
January 19, 2022/Nutrition
Is MSG Actually Bad for You?

This flavor enhancer has a bad reputation that it doesn’t deserve

spilled salt shaker
May 28, 2021/Nutrition
Are Salt Substitutes a Healthy Way to Lower Your Sodium Intake?

How to make your meals less salty and more flavorful

salt lamp
April 20, 2021/Wellness
Are There Any Health Benefits to Himalayan Salt Lamps?

Experts say health & environmental evidence is lacking

cook adding salt to food
December 15, 2020/Nutrition
Why Do You Crave Salt?

Plus, 10 ways to combat your salt cravings

Trending Topics

Person in bed sleeping on their side, covers off
Breathing Problems? Try These Sleep Positions

If you’re feeling short of breath, sleep can be tough — propping yourself up or sleeping on your side may help

A couple looking at skyline, with one person slightly behind the other, head bent down
What Is Anxious Attachment Style — and Do You Have It?

If you fear the unknown or find yourself needing reassurance often, you may identify with this attachment style

Glasses and bottle of yellow-colored prebiotic soda, with mint, lemon and ginger garnish
Are Prebiotic Sodas Good for You?

If you’re looking to boost your gut health, it’s better to get fiber from whole foods

Ad