We all know that it is important to eat less salt, even more so when you
have been diagnosed with diabetes. Too much sodium can increase your risk
for high blood pressure, stroke, and heart disease.
The 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend less than 2300 mg of
sodium per day, which is around 1 teaspoon. The average intake for Americans
is around 3300 mg or more per day. Most people think of table salt contributing
to their total intake but up to 2/3’s of our sodium is already in
our food. Some hidden sources of sodium include cottage cheese, processed
meats, boxed mixes such as Rice-A-Roni and macaroni and cheese, soups,
and breads. Processed foods and restaurant foods contribute a large amount
of sodium to our diet.
When at the grocery store, you may notice a wide variety of salt options
to choose from: table salt, sea salt, kosher salt, light salt, and Himalayan
pink salt. It is important to remember that all forms of salt contain
sodium and may impact your health. But what is the difference between
these different forms of salt?
Table salt: Also called iodized salt, as it is fortified for iodine for thyroid health.
Table salt works well with cooking and baking. Is usually highly refined
which removes most of the impurities and trace minerals.
Sea salt: Is made through the evaporation of salt water. Depending on the source
of water, it may contain some trace minerals. Sea salt is less ground
than table salt making it courser with a more potent flavor.
Kosher salt: Is larger-grained with a lighter, flakier texture. There is very little
difference between Kosher salt and table salt besides its grain size.
Because of it larger grain size, there is less sodium per teaspoon compared
to table salt.
Light salt: Contains about 50% of the sodium of regular table salt. A blend of sodium
chloride (table salt) and potassium chloride. Light salt is helpful in
cutting sodium intake but has more of a metallic or bitter taste. Check
with your physician about using these or salt replacers if you are on
certain medications or have kidney problems
Himalayan pink salt: Himalayan salt is harvested in Pakistan and often contains trace amounts
of iron oxide (rust), which gives it a pink color. Potassium, magnesium,
iron, and calcium are found in small amounts and it also contains slightly
lower amounts of sodium.
The table below compares the nutrition content of the different salts,
remember these all are very tiny amounts and are really negligible compared
to what you get from food.
|
Calcium
|
Potassium
|
Magnesium
|
Iron
|
Sodium
|
Table/Kosher salt
|
0.03%
|
0.9%
|
<0.01%
|
<0.01%
|
39.1%
|
Sea salt
|
0.16%
|
0.08%
|
0.05%
|
<0.01%
|
39.3%
|
Himalayan Salt
|
0.16%
|
0.28%
|
0.1%
|
0.004%
|
36.8%
|
Remember reading labels, adding less salt and eating more fresh, unprocessed
foods is most important!