As the name suggests, sea salt comes from ocean water. Unlike other less-processed foods, however, it maintains more nutrients and these nutrients add more color and cleaner taste to sea salt than other kinds of salt, including table salt.
Sea salt has been used for hundreds of years as a cooking agent, particularly in Greek food, and for medicinal purposes. Modern scientists now know that sea salts are the most common mineral in seawater. The body uses sea salt for a number of functions; they act as an antiseptic, neutralize stomach acid and help in digestion. It is also a good preservative for food because it prevents spoilage.
Natural sea salt does have some unique properties that make it appealing to many types of consumers. For example, it is much easier on teeth than table salt. Sea salt also helps in the absorption of calcium in the blood. Most people don't eat enough calcium in their diets, especially women, so sea salt is often the best choice when it comes to increasing the intake of the mineral. And many sea salts also contain vitamins A and E, which are both good for maintaining healthy bones.
Sea salt, though, is not without its critics. It is thought that too much salt in the diet can lead to high blood pressure, an increased risk of heart disease, an increase in cholesterol levels and an increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. These claims, though, may be due more to the way the salt is processed than to the actual content of salt in sea salt.
Sea salt, which is commonly called sea food or sea salt, can also contain a wide variety of chemicals that can make it harmful for some people. For instance, some sea salts contain dyes and coloring agents that can irritate the skin or can cause allergic reactions.
There is also sodium chloride added to seafood. This chemical is commonly known as saltpeter, and it's what gives sea food its distinctive yellow tint. Sodium chloride is considered to be beneficial in many ways, especially in the production of saltpeter, since it reduces the amount of time needed to create it, and allows saltpeter to dissolve at different temperatures. So, naturally, when seafood is processed, it is bleached of salt and other impurities. and the impurities aren't retained in the final product.
While the benefits of seafood are numerous, some consumers are still not convinced. They argue that the presence of sodium chloride in sea food makes it hard for salt to be absorbed by the body and leads to increased sodium intake. Other people think that sea food has too much salt, making it difficult to process, and they feel that you can get all the benefits of salt by eating sea food or salt water instead.
Because seafood is so easy to prepare and to store, it is a popular choice for those who are on a limited budget. Saltpeter-free seafood comes in both powdered form and in bars and tablets.
Can Salt Cause Heart Disease? is also widely available in health food stores but may be more expensive than regular sea food.