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Salt Substitutes Vs. Sea Salt

Salt is a common food additive used to enhance the flavor of many dishes, but when taken in excess it can lead to high blood pressure and heart disease. Many have touted the health benefits of sea salts and salt substitutes as a way to create a healthier diet. The truth is sea salt and salt substitutes have pros and cons that should be weighed.

  1. Sea Salt

    • Salt and sea salt are chemically the same thing, sodium chloride. The only difference is while table salt has been refined and most minerals removed, sea salt is processed little and is simply evaporated seawater's salt residue. Sea salt is more beneficial than table salt because of its natural mineral content. It can contain iron, copper and other minerals the body needs that were present in the sea. These minerals are also why sea salt comes in different colors depending on mineral concentrations.

    Potassium Substitutes

    • Salt is the crystal form of sodium chloride and most salt substitutes create a similar crystal, but replace the sodium with potassium. The body needs potassium and it reduces the risk of increased blood pressure, making it preferable to standard salt. Older people with weakened or malfunctioning kidneys can develop hyperkalemia, increased levels of potassium. If the kidneys can't process the excess potassium, it can lead to an irregular heartbeat, nausea and a slow pulse.

    Herbal Substitutes

    • While potassium substitutes try to imitate the taste of salt, herbal substitutes get away from the salt taste and replace it with their own unique flavor. Herbal substitutes blend various spices to remove the blandness from food. The herbal substitutes have no form of salt in them and their only real danger is if anyone has allergies to one of the spices.

    Comparison

    • Herbal substitutes are the best choice because they have no effect on the body other than allergies. A second choice would be the potassium salt substitute, but only if you are certain that your kidneys are functioning properly. Sea salt is no different than salt except for mineral content. Sea salt is the worse of the three options for people on a sodium-restricted diet.

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