What are the benefits of Sea Salt?
A Beast and his Salt.....
Spice Beast's main goal is to help you eat as healthy as you can and still have your food taste delicious. Growing up, all we had on the table was Salt & Pepper !!!! Back then I didn't know what Sea Salt was...and to be honest, I'm too lazy to do the research to see if it even was available!
Well since the choices were few and my mother wasn't the best cook (sorry mom), I often reached for the salt shaker. I would put salt on EVERYTHING and at a young age became a "saltaholic". I would salt my food even before I tasted it!!!!
Eating Less Processed Foods
It’s no secret that eating less processed food is good for your health. And while sea salt is less processed than table salt and contains more nutrients, it may not offer all the health benefits that media wants you to think. Like table salt, sodium makes up a large portion of the nutrients in sea salt. Too much sodium from any source may affect your blood pressure and your health. So it is important to monitor sodium intake, and not just what you sprinkle from a jar.
Sea Salt vs Table Salt (the age old debate)
The salt from the shaker in my youth more than likely came from underground salt deposits that have been finely ground, processed to remove minerals and treated with an additive to prevent clumping. Where as Sea Salt derives from evaporating seawater or saltwater lakes. Unlike table salt, sea salt isn’t processed to remove minerals and the granules are large and coarse. Sea salt comes in a variety of colors, including pink, gray and green, which may indicate its source and mineral content.
Benefits of Sea Salt
Sea salt is less processed, so it has not been stripped of its beneficial minerals like zinc, potassium, and iron. However, depending on where this salt has originated from will alter the types and quantities of minerals it contains. With that being said, the minerals in the sea salt affect taste, and as a coarser granule, you may be able to use less sea salt than table salt when flavoring food.
Do We Even Need Sodium?
The answer simply is....YES. Sodium is essential in a healthy lifestyle. It helps maintain fluid balance, plays an important role in maintaining blood pressure and assists in nutrient transport into your cells. What you didn't know is, you only need about 200mg of sodium to achieve this.. Sea Salt will get you to this number...but...a teaspoon contains 2,300 milligrams of sodium, which is the same amount found in the same serving of traditional table salt. In other words, you need sodium, you just don't need to coat your food in it like I did as a child !!!!
A Tip From the Beast.
Eat less processed food (fast food, canned goods, frozen meals and chips), use low sodium seasonings like Spice Beast, and taste your meal before adding additional salt. Adding a sprinkle isn't going to hurt you, but always remember that less is more! Eating fresh foods like fruits, vegetables, meats, nuts and whole grains will drastically lower your daily sodium intake.
