Friday, March 23, 2012

Sprinkle on the Salt for Better Health


Yes, salt is actually good for you.

Salt gets a bad rap in the media, and study after study links it to health problems like kidney and gall bladder stones, rheumatoid arthritis, weight gain, gout, and cellulite.  All of these studies, though, are based on findings from Table and Sea Salt, which are chemically cleaned leaving just sodium chloride and usually added chemicals in the way of anti-caking agents. This type of salt is hard for our bodies to break down and leaves us with excess fluid in our body tissue.  

Get rid of the table salt, and instead choose an unrefined salt, which is pure and still brimming with necessary minerals. (And it tastes better, too!) 

Unrefined salts contain dozens and dozens of minerals, alkalizes the pH of your cells, and balances your electrolytes. Unlike refined salt, it is not bleached and no chemicals are added.

You have a few options to choose from, but below are three of my favorites:

Celtic Salt
Celtic Salt is grayish in color, and flaky in texture. It has a very salty flavor, so a little goes a long way!

This is easy to find at most supermarkets.   

Pink Himalayan Salt 
Pink Himalayan Salt comes in a beautiful clear rose hue and a rock texture that can be ground over your dishes, just like fresh pepper. 

This is easy to find at most supermarkets, including Trader Joe's.  


Murray River Pink Flake Salt
This light pink flake salt melts into food and imparts a delicate salty flavor. 

While Celtic and Pink Himalayan are the most common unrefined salts, this variety was introduced to me by my friend Bruce at Pepper Passions. I can honestly say, as far as taste is concerned, it is my favorite of the three. 

I haven't seen this in stores, but you can get it online at Pepper-Passions


Experiment with the different varieties, and see how you like each one on different foods. Think of it as you would wine pairing, but in this case you'll be salt pairing. I find that I like Pink Himalayan and Murray River on salads, while Celtic I prefer for cooking.


After you've tried at least one of them out, leave a comment below and let me know what you think! 





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