Why Celtic Sea Salt Wins Over Ordinary Table Salt Every Time
What's in Celtic Sea Salt, Anyway?
Celtic sea salt, like all salt, is mostly made up of sodium and chloride--with one important difference: It's loaded with minerals and trace elements.
It contains about 84% sodium chloride. Table salt has about 99% sodium chloride. That's why celtic sea salt is so much better for us than the white stuff they sell at the grocery store.
How Do They Make Celtic Sea Salt?
Ocean water is channeled into shallow, pre-dug clay ponds. The water is allowed to naturally evaporate by exposure to the sun and wind.
Afterward, a small deposit of mineral-rich saltwater is left in the clay ponds. Farmers then rake the water thoroughly, gathering the salt crystals manually. They are never exposed to heat or chemicals.
By contrast, ordinary table salt is vacuum evaporated. This high-heat drying process removes most of its mineral content and natural moisture.
Then it's bleached to make it pure white. I suppose they think it looks prettier that way. Next, they treat it with anti-caking agents to make sure it pours out of the box easily.
The Plain Sea Salt Truth
Celtic sea salt from the ocean is not pristine white in color. It's off-white or light grey in appearance because of its mineral content. And it won't pour easily out of a box. Its natural moisture causes it to bind together in small clump-like shapes. No problem. That's what salt and pepper grinders are for, right?
Now Go Fish
Some experts also advise adding more iodine to your diet when making the switch to sea salt. This is to avoid possible iodine deficiency. Natural sea salt does contain some iodine. But this amount may not be enough to meet your individual dietary needs.
Their advice? Eat foods rich in iodine several times a week. Saltwater fish and shellfish are good natural sources of iodine. Don't like seafood? Other good bets are kelp, asparagus, garlic, mushrooms and sesame seeds.
Will The Real Celtic Sea Salt Please Stand Up?
Ok. Some of you have decided to toss the pretty, bleached, chemical-filled table salt. Good!
Celtic Sea Salt is definitely a better choice for you and your family.
But before you head down to your local health food store, consider this:
Much of the "sea salt" you'll find there is refined. Refined sea salt is about 98% sodium chloride, with only 2% minerals and trace elements.
It has undergone the same high-heat processing, and has added chemicals to boot. It's no better than ordinary table salt. And, it's more expensive!
Make sure that the sea salt you buy is labeled "UNREFINED" with no added chemicals. It should contain no more than 85% sodium chloride and at least five to seven percent minerals and trace elements.
The remaining eight to 10% should be natural moisture. Both fine grain and coarse grain sea salt are available from most sellers.
Return from celtic sea salt to shape up the diet
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