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Breaking Down Salt: Why It’s Good For Us and Which Ones to Buy
It’s on every table and in every spice cabinet, but what is salt, exactly? Here, our nutritionists give us the lowdown on salt: why we need it, what types to look for, and which ones to avoid.
What is salt and how is it made?
Salt’s a mineral made up of sodium chloride, and it can be found across the globe. It can be extracted by evaporating seawater, mining rocky salt formations in the earth, or creating salt brines. Once the mineral is harvested, salt is then processed in various ways. That’s how we end up with different textures and flavours of salt, from the common table salt to specialty and gourmet salts!
The main health benefits of salt
Salt is the main source of sodium for humans, and we actually need sodium for our health. It helps our body with a bunch of things:
- Balances the blood and tissue fluids in our system.
- Maintains healthy blood pressure.
- Retain water and stay hydrated.
- Supports gastric acid for better digestion.
- Provides electrolytes, which are essential for our muscles and nerves to function.
Ok, so we know we need salt — but how much? For Australian adults, the guidelines are no more than 2,000mg of sodium per day, which is equal to about 5g or 1 teaspoon of salt.
But the average Aussie consumes almost double that amount, and processed foods are a big culprit of that. Eating too much sodium can lead to high blood pressure, bloating, excess thirst, swelling, headaches and fatigue, so we definitely want to keep those levels in check.
The good news? Enjoying high quality salts and a diet of beautiful, nourishing wholefoods will go a long way in helping with that. Also, have fun playing around with other ways to add flavour to your meals! We love using herbs like parsley, oregano, thyme, basil, rosemary and dill to dial up savoury flavour, and spices like garlic and chilli to jazz up our food.
Choosing the healthiest salt
With so many salts lining the shelves, it can get overwhelming! Here’s the GoodnessMe guide to sprinkling the best salt.
What to avoid: Table salt.
Our nutritionists recommend steering clear of table salt, as it’s highly refined and often contains added sugar and other additives.
What to enjoy: Specialty and gourmet salts.
Think sea salt, kosher salt, black salt and Himalayan pink salt! These types of salt are unrefined, and contain less sodium and more trace minerals like iron, potassium and zinc. Plus, they usually have more of a flaky texture, making them better for not only our health but our cooking!
If you want an easy way to enhance flavour, seasoned and smoked salts are amazing, too. Seasoned salt is a mix of salt and herbs, such as celery, garlic or onion. Smoked salts are smoked with wood, like mesquite or hickory, for a couple of weeks to give them a delish smoky flavour.
Nutritionist picks for the best salts:
- Shop The Salt Box range. From black salt to sriracha, chipotle and smoked applewood salt, this Aussie brand has every gourmet salt under the sun. Everything’s pure, unrefined and free from additives. Whether your marinading your meats, veggies or soaking up relaxing epsom salts and essential oils, this is the go to brand.
- Shop Ceres Organics Herb Salt. A blend of sea salt with organic herbs and veggies, this gourmet salt is great for getting extra greens into your meals.
- Shop Redmond Ancient Sea Salt. Packed with minerals, this 100% natural sea salt is perfect for everyday use thanks to its fine texture.
- Shop Salt of the Earth Hand Harvested Celtic Sea Salt. Flaky and rich in magnesium and trace minerals, this premium salt is super versatile.
Shop healthy salts at GoodnessMe
A grain of salt can really amplify the flavour of whatever you’re eating, but the quality of salt is the key. Check out nutritionist-approved salts on the GoodnessMe shop and keep your spice cabinet stocked up for success!