Can I Use Table Salt Instead of Sea Salt? Benefits, Side Effects

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Both sea salt and table salt are beneficial to health if used in moderation; although, there is no scientific evidence that suggests one is better than the other.

Salt is a mineral compound that mainly contains sodium chloride. Salt crystals are called rock salt or halite.

Salt is consumed by people daily. It adds taste to food and makes it edible. It is used as a seasoning, and salting is done to preserve food and make pickles.

Both sea salt and table salt are beneficial to health if used in moderation.

One should not consume either of them in excess. Sea salt is less processed than table salt, but no scientific evidence suggests that sea salt is superior to table salt.

4 types of salt

There are four types of commonly used salt, which include:

• Table salt
• Sea salt
• Kosher salt
• Himalayan pink salt

What is table salt?

Table salt is the most used household chemical.

It contains 97 to 99 percent of sodium chloride. Other minerals could be present in it based on its source or additives that may be added to it while packaging. The main source of table salt is halite. Halite is mined and then converted into table salt.

3 health benefits of table salt

1. Promotes oral hygiene: Dentists suggest rinsing the mouth with salt and water solution because it prevents bacterial infection. It reduces gum swelling and promotes good gum health.
2. Relieves muscle cramps: Drinking a glass of water with a pinch of table salt is useful in relieving muscle cramps.
3. Part of oral rehydration solution: In the case of extreme dehydration due to vomiting and diarrhea, a pinch of table salt with a teaspoon of sugar in a liter of preboiled and cooled water helps maintain hydration.

3 disadvantages of table salt

Consuming large amounts of table salt is harmful and may result in certain disadvantages including:

1. Damage to the kidneys: Excessive intake of table salt damages the kidney tubules and impairs renal functions.
2. Hypertension: Table salt increases blood pressure and leads to hypertension.
3. Obesity: Salt intake leads to water retention in the body and leads to bloating and obesity.

What is sea salt?

Sea salt is prepared by evaporating seawater. Besides containing sodium chloride, it contains other minerals, such as potassium, iron, and calcium.

It is minimally processed; hence, it is considered superior to table salt.

5 benefits of sea salt

Sea salt has many health benefits, such as:

1. It has culinary uses, serving as a seasoning agent.
2. Sea salt is added to baths, body scrubs, beverages, and other products.
3. It helps maintain hydration and blood pressure levels.
4. Consuming sea salt with lukewarm water helps in the proper digestion of food.
5. It reduces skin inflammation and improves skin health. Bathing with sea salt helps improve skin health and provides relief in cases of eczema.

5 disadvantages of sea salt

Here are 5 disadvantages of using sea salt:

1. Increased intake of sea salt leads to a rise in blood pressure.
2. It causes edema in the dependent parts of the body.
3. It leads to bloating.
4. It may make a person prone to kidney stones.
5. People with heart conditions should monitor their salt intake.