Since when did sea salt become so premium?
The past few years has seen a dramatic rise in the number of sea salt flavoured products, predominantly in the snack food area. Some believe sea salt has become a premium product as it has tapped into the ‘natural,' ‘healthy and ‘premium' trends in the market.
But is sea salt really any better for you than regular table or rock salts? Some consumers think that it is more healthy, based on the presence of additional minerals such as magnesium, potassium, calcium, bromide and bicarbonate.
However, a spokesperson for the UK Food Standard Agency disagrees. "Sea salt is not better for you than table salt. They both contain sodium chloride"
Katharine Jenner, nutritionist and campaign manager for salt reduction campaigners CASH (Consensus for Action on Salt and Health), concurs with the FSA's stance. "Any salt is salt," she said. "Where we are concerned, in hypertension and stroke, and so on, there is no difference."
Sea salt (like other regular salts) is practically 100% sodium chloride. The only salt category healthier than regular salts are reduced sodium salt products, such as LoSalt.
In addition, there is actually little scientific evidence to suggest that the presence of other minerals in sea salt compared to regular salt make any difference in reducing blood pressure or boosting kidney health.
Full article available at http://www.foodnavigator.com/Science-Nutrition/Sea-salt-rises-on-wave-of-premium-tasting
Written: 8th October 2010
