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In the last few years, there has been a shift in the way we view salt when it comes to our health.
You may have heard of internet personalities like Abby Baffoe and Lauren Elizabeth adding Celtic sea salt to their morning routine.
Drinking saltwater sounds less than pleasant, but mineral salt has several reported benefits.
As the wellness trend goes, when you add a pinch of high-quality sea salt into your water, you create a mineral-rich electrolyte drink.
Is this all a TikTok myth, or is there a scientific method behind the madness?
WE LIKE IT SALTY
Two types of mineral salts play vital roles in our body’s functioning.
The first is macrominerals such as sodium, calcium, potassium and magnesium. As the name suggests, our bodies need these in relatively high doses.
Caption: Harvesting of sea salt from salt basins
Credit: Alan Wang via Pexels
Trace elements, on the other hand, are required in smaller amounts. These include iron, zinc, selenium and copper.
Mineral salts are necessary for optimal functioning of essential bodily processes.
This includes oxygen transport, bone formation, energy metabolism and inflammatory regulation.
GIFTS FROM THE OCEAN
After the rise of pink Himalayan salt, the internet now has a new wellness favourite – Celtic sea salt.
Celtic sea salt is harvested from the regions of Brittany in France through the process of evaporation.
This salt comes to us unrefined, meaning there’s less processing compared to regular table salt. As a result, we consume a higher mineral salt content.
When added to water, high-quality sea salt provides our bodies with electrolytes. These hydrate us on a cellular level.
Minerals aren’t just about hydration – they have a few more tricks up their sleeve.
Caption: Close-up of white sea salt
Credit: Marina Leonova via Pexels
MINERALS MATTER
A 2016 study looked at the difference between the consumption of natural sea salt and refined salt in rats.
Rats who ingested sea salt had reduced high blood pressure.
Researchers concluded that the major benefit of sea salt is linked to its mineral content – in particular, potassium, calcium and magnesium.
Other studies suggest there are significant health benefits from natural sea salt compared to table salt.
We can’t stress this enough – don’t go adding heaped teaspoons of salt to all your meals!
At the end of the day, if we follow a balanced diet of plant and animal sources, we will consume enough essential mineral salts to remain on top of our health game.
