According to ScienceFocus.com, “The human body contains many salts, of which sodium chloride (AKA common table salt) is the major one, making up around 0.4% of the body's weight at a concentration pretty well equivalent to that in seawater.” So if we’re made up of salt, why do we always hear that salt is bad for us? That’s because 9 out of 10 Americans consume 3400mg of sodium a day vs. the recommended intake of 1500mg.

In this edition of Healthy Bytes, we dive into hidden salts in food, how you can educate yourself to avoid over consuming sodium, and if you’re adding salt to food, some different kinds of salt available.

How are Americans consuming so much salt?

Small quantities of salt is naturally found in foods including fruits, vegetables, and meats. However, the real culprits are the packaged and processed foods you’ll find at the Grocery store, you’ll find salt in items you’d expect like deli meats, frozen meals, and canned foods, but then you’ll also find salt in unexpected places like cereal and soda. Often worse than high sodium prepared foods with nutrition labels are the prepared foods served in restaurants, many popular restaurants serve individual meals with enough sodium to last you more than three days.

Why overconsuming salt is such a big deal…

According to the American Heart Association, “Excess sodium increases a person's risk for high blood pressure, which can lead to heart disease and stroke.”

How can reduce your salt consumption?

The key is eating whole foods that don’t have nutrition labels, but if you are eating foods with labels, read them. You’ll be surprised what high numbers you can find on the “Sodium” line. The benefits of the label is that it not only gives you the sodium amount in milligrams (mg), but it also tells you what percentage of your recommended daily value that a serving equals. When eating out, if you can’t obtain nutritional information about the items on the menu, there are countless tips on avoiding high sodium foods like skipping foods with sauces, fried foods, and appetizers. Instead opt for whole foods like steamed vegetables or side salads with vinegar and olive oil for your dressing.

What’s with all the different kinds of salts?

You may have heard about various salts and some even claiming health benefits. The truth of the matter is that salt is still salt. Some salts have minerals which are healthy, but those minerals are found in such small amounts and are easily obtained from other foods.  We’ve included a list of some of the most common types of salt and some facts about them.

  • Himalayan Salt: Pink in color, harvested from salt mines in Pakistan. Unprocessed, and has trace amounts of Potassium, Magnesium, and Iron.
  • Sea Salt: Made by evaporating seawater. Has trace amounts of minerals, but also may contain heavy metals and microplastics.
  • Kosher Salt: Flaky and easy to spread. Less likely to contain anti-caking agents and iodine.
  • Celtic Salt: Similar to Sea Salt but light gray in color and can be moist. Made from sea water and contain trace amounts of minerals.
  • Table Salt: Mostly composed of sodium chloride, contains anti-caking ingredients to prevent clumping. Often table salt contains iodine which is an essential nutrient for the human body. Iodine was originally added to reduce the incidence of goiter but later researchers found that iodine plays a crucial role in brain development, especially during gestation.

What's the takeaway here? Be mindful of your salt intake and be on the lookout for hidden ways you are consuming salt. If you want to add salt to your food, do so in moderation.