Sea Salt

Is sea salt better for you than regular table salt?  Should we be using it instead?

I prefer to use sea salt. Salt is still salt though so overdoing it is still not that good for you.

I prefer sea salt as well but thats only for the texture and taste. Here's an excert from www.mayoclinic.com about sea salt.

 

Is sea salt better for your health than table salt?

Answer

from Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.

No. Sea salt and table salt have the same basic nutritional value, despite the fact that sea salt is often marketed as a more natural and healthy alternative. The real differences between sea salt and table salt are in their taste, texture and processing, not their chemical makeup.

www.livestrong.com mentions that sea salt may not have enough iodine in it.  Then explains about why we need iodine... "Iodine is an essential mineral that the body needs to function properly. Aurora Health Care explains that iodine helps to promote the synthesis of bone and protein, stimulate growth and development and regulate metabolic rates. Thyroid function is directly impacted by the consumption of iodine since this mineral affects thyroid hormone production, says Medline Plus."

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/253747-does-sea-salt-have-iodine-in-it/#ixzz1nq6HOoLX

Another article talks about mental development / IQ in relation to low iodine.  http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/16/health/16iodine.html

So, sea salt is good and it does have some iodine.  I prefer it.  But when you cook I suggest using regular salt.

If you are eating a normal diet, I'd say you would never need to give a second thought about how much iodine you get.  But if you live of protein shakes and an occasional bite of food, then maybe it's worth a thought.