When you go to the supermarket, the salt shelf is starting to look like other areas of the store, with more and more choices each time you shop. Which is the best salt to buy? How much sodium is in each type of salt?
Table salt is the most commonly eaten salt. It is made up of two minerals, sodium (40%) and chloride (60%). It contains 2,300 milligrams of sodium in one teaspoon. Most table salt is also fortified with iodine, which began in the US in the 1920s to help decrease the occurrence of goiter, a swelling of the thyroid gland. Table salt is commonly used in food processing and in commercial food preparation. Processing table salt strips it of any trace minerals.
Sea salt, considered by some to be healthier than table salt has a coarser crystal. It is less processed than table salt and contains some trace minerals which can give it both color and flavor. Sea salt has 2,324 milligrams of sodium in a teaspoon making it nutritionally equal to the sodium content of table salt.
Kosher salt has a larger crystal than table salt, so less salt fits in a one teaspoon measure. Kosher salt has 1,920 milligrams of sodium in one teaspoon which does save slightly less than 400 milligrams of sodium when compared to table salt. Kosher salt is processed under kosher supervision and is not iodine fortified.
Pink Himalayan salt is a type of rock salt and its crystals are larger than table salt with 1,700 milligrams of sodium in one teaspoon, saving 600 milligrams of sodium per teaspoon. Pink salts contain trace amounts of essential minerals such as iron, zinc and calcium. The mineral content creates their color and taste. Pink salts are considered gourmet salts and many chefs feel they provide a saltier flavor which means less can be used in recipes.
