Life-Giving, Foundational Food: Salt

There are indeed groups of folks who should not consume salt, in any form, but the fact is, the majority of us NEED IT. Yep, need it….

Table Salt

Most homes have this white stuff sitting next to the pepper. It’s called table salt. Table salt is mined from rock or ocean, blasted with heat, chemically treated, and mixed with anti-caking agents. The once alive sea salt is now dead, and void of its original calcium, magnesium, potassium and 90 other trace minerals and micro-nutrients. Small, insignificant amounts of iodine are added back into the now sodium chloride substance and called table salt.

Sea Salt

Sea salt refers to the unrefined salt derived directly from the living sea. True, real sea salt is harvested in the same ways it was over 2000 years ago by French salt farmers. The salt is gathered by channeling ocean water into large trays and allowing the sun and wind to evaporate it naturally. 100% natural sea salt maintains its integrity, all of the trace minerals are fully intact with the original, Mother Nature intended balance of sodium and chloride plus calcium, magnesium, potassium and other micro nutrients. These minerals are alive, they retain moisture and are naturally grey in color.

Ah, but leave it up to Humans to once again mess with another good thing! Here’s the kicker, sea salt now-a-days is white and free flowing, meaning they have processed or bleached the sea salt in some way in addition to adding anti-caking agents. Real sea salt is gray or ‘dirty’ in color and will stick together in the bag or container as there is no added anti-caking agents. Hence my reason for referring to it as ‘dirty’ salt.

 So Which One?

This salt business is the same concept as white vs. whole grain bread. Table salt or refined sea salt can cause problems in the body. Manufacturers reducing sodium in their products is a good thing as it is the white sodium that is wreaking havoc. However, real salt is essential to life. Our bodies were naturally designed to take in real, unprocessed dirty sea salt. Why would we have salt taste buds if it were bad for us? We need real natural salt for protein digestion, carbohydrate digestion, adrenal function, cellular metabolism and brain development. Natural dirty sea salt is the entire package, the way Mother Nature intended it to be… now why would you have it any other way?

My favorite salts are Redman’s Real Salt, Celtic Sea Salt, and all those fun colorful salts you see in specialty health food stores. Let’s face it, avoiding even the white salt today is almost impossible and unrealistic, however you can take steps in reducing your white salt consumption by buying low sodium versions of, or completely avoiding, prepackaged foods while adding in your own dirty salt.

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