Salt of the Earth
by Sandra Brandt

Ancient traditions believed that salt can have positive
as well as negative effects, depending on how it is used.

What we commonly think of as salt is a compound known as sodium chloride, or NaCl. All salt comes from the sea; it can be obtained from either ocean water or from inland salt deposits, which are believed to be the remains of ancient sea beds. Natural salt is about 98% sodium chloride, with sodium itself being about 40% of the total composition. The remaining 2% or so is composed of a large number of minerals, many of which are essential to living organisms. Common table salt has been processed using high heat and bleaching agents to remove these trace mineral “impurities,” leaving about 99.9% sodium chloride, plus the addition of an iodide compound, introduced in the 1920s to prevent iodine deficiency diseases (iodine being one of the many minerals removed in the refining process), aluminum silicate or another anti-caking agent, as well as sugar in some brands to stabilize the iodide.

Ancient traditions believed that salt can have positive as well as negative effects, depending on how it is used. In the Ayurvedic philosophy, the active quality of salt was emphasized as markedly strengthening one’s energy, although to the point of hostility if overused. Chinese tradition holds that salt has a “dual nature, and it oscillates between its aspects in the human body. Its yin nature represents the earth, and thus salt can be used to bring a person ‘down to earth,’ or to give food an earthy more substantial quality… In the outer, yang, dimensions, salt enables one to focus more clearly on the material realm. Excess salt encourages greed.” (Pitchford) Salt relates closely to the root chakra, the key emotional quality of which is security; thus, our desire for salt may reflect an internal wish for a more emotionally safe foundation. Craving for salt by modern people may relate to the centring quality of sodium in a fragmented environment, and also the fact that salt is an antidote to all forms of radiation. (Salt beds have been considered as storage sites for nuclear waste.) Salt has also been used since ancient times to preserve food, which is still done today.

Sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium, all present in natural salt, are the four main electrolytes required for proper bodily functioning, and the right balance between them is essential to good health. Sodium and potassium work closely together; potassium is present in each cell of our bodies, while sodium is contained in the fluid outside the cells. An exquisite balance between these two elements is required for regulating body fluids and blood pressure and for optimal functioning of the muscles and nerves. Salt activates enzymes which help us digest food and it nourishes the adrenal glands. It helps stabilize mood, relieve emotional stress, and promote a good night’s sleep by preserving serotonin, melatonin, and tryptamine levels in the brain. As well, it functions as a detoxifier and an antihistamine, it prevents muscle cramps and gout-related arthritis, and it promotes bowel function. The many trace minerals in unrefined salt are invaluable in many of the body’s processes. Salt is indeed a gift of the earth and its waters.

In modern terms, there are two main dangers associated with dietary salt—too much, and the wrong kind—and these two go hand in hand, leading to chemical imbalance in the body. Salt is mostly used in its highly processed form nowadays, which as mentioned above, is stripped of trace minerals, and also contains questionable additives. Consumption of common table salt can result in deficiency of the missing minerals. As is the case with all industrially processed foods, this situation often leads to cravings for more of the same food source as the body desperately tries to obtain the missing nutrients.

Refined salt is added to processed meals and snack products in excessive amounts in order to cover up the otherwise bland or unpalatable flavour of highly processed foods. Regular consumption of such products can set up an addictive pattern that leads our taste buds to expect high levels of salty flavour in everything we eat. Another possible reason for salt cravings may be the depletion of minerals in our soils due to overuse of farm chemicals, which leads to lowered nutrient content in food crops.

A common response, often advised by medical practitioners, is to reduce or eliminate added salt in the diet. This is a good idea in terms of limiting processed foods and fast-food restaurant fare, which is where we get the largest amount of added salt in our diets. However, although high blood pressure, fluid retention, and heart and kidney disease have been shown to be associated with excessive salt intake, some medical scientists and biologists question whether these health issues are not actually the result of a mineral imbalance associated with a deficiency of related nutrients, especially potassium, rather than simply an excess of sodium. Given the important roles that sodium and related elements in salt play in the body, there is potential danger in consuming too little salt. Dr. Michael Alderman, chairman of epidemiology at Albert Einstein School of Medicine in New York and president of the American Society of Hypertension, suggests that government should consider suspending its recommendation that people restrict the amount of salt they eat. A more sensible recommendation would be to use natural salt.

Refined table salt, by itself and as an additive in other foods, is readily available in grocery stores and restaurants; in fact a conscious effort is required to avoid it. Fortunately, good alternatives are not hard to find. Natural salt products, usually available in health specialty stores or gourmet food product shops, are packaged and labelled in various ways and come from various sources, so a number of choices exist. Although many assume that any product labelled as “sea salt” is healthier, regular sea salt is typically processed and refined similarly to common table salt. Look for salt products labelled as “natural” or “unrefined” and examine the package and labelling carefully to ensure that it is indeed an unprocessed type of salt. Celtic sea salt is one type that is commonly available in health food stores, but there are various other types of unrefined salts as well. Natural salts are not pure white in colour, although some are an off shade of white. Often they will appear as greyish, beige, or slightly pink, depending on the source, as each kind has its own particular composition of minerals which affects its appearance. Salt mined from the ocean and then sun dried often contains minute traces of marine life in it, which makes it especially rich in iodine, while salt mined from land may have absorbed higher levels of other minerals from the soil environment. No single choice is necessarily superior; experimenting with various kinds may help further optimize the balance of minerals in the diet. It has been noted that our blood composition of minerals is very like that of ocean water, so it makes good sense to replenish these nutrients in a balanced form through our food intake, which natural salt helps us to do. Note that in terms of prepared foods, even those found in organic or health food stores seem to be made with refined salt, so preparing one’s own food from scratch as much as possible is the best choice.

Sea vegetables, also called seaweed, which are usually available in packaged dried form in health food stores, are another excellent way to obtain the same balance of minerals that unrefined sea salt offers. They can be creatively added to many soups, stews, casseroles, and salads.

Many other basic foods contain significant amounts of sodium as well as potassium and other needed minerals. In fact, most staples such as fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and animal foods, with the exception of shellfish, contain more potassium than sodium, which helps keep the mineral balance in order. Bone broth is also a wonderful source of sodium balanced with other minerals. Processed foods, on the other hand, almost always contain added sodium while being depleted of the other minerals.

Greater quantities of salt in the diet are needed in cold and/or dry environments, as salt has warming and moistening qualities. It is always good to become more aware of, and respond to, the body’s changing needs throughout the seasons, as well as our own individualized needs. One recommendation is to avoid added salt for seven days each spring to purge excesses and renew the ability to appreciate subtle flavours.

When preparing sweet dishes and desserts, don’t forget to add some natural salt. This helps to balance the flavours and lends emphasis to small amounts of sweeteners.

Besides preparing food with natural salt, here are a couple of simply prepared mixtures that can be kept in handy shaker bottles to add some zesty salt flavour and bonus nutrients to meals at the table:

Sesame Salt with Seaweed (Gomashio)
Grind together in a coffee grinder or blender:
1/4 cup sesame seeds (either raw or toasted)
1/4 tsp unrefined salt
1 tsp kelp powder or granules (optional)

Herbed Nutritional Seasoning
Combine:
2 tbsp unrefined salt
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tbsp mixture of dried herbs and spices (your choice)

References:
1. Paul Pitchford, Healing With Whole Foods
2. Sally Fallon & Mary Enig, Nourishing Traditions
3. Health Canada
4. Whole-Body-Detox-Diet.com
5. second-opinions.co.uk

Sandra Brandt has had a lifelong interest in whole natural foods. She lives in Regina, where she gives cooking classes, presentations, and dietary consultations. She can be reached via email: brandt.s@sasktel.net. Also see the colour display ad on page 13 of the 17.1 May/June issue of the WHOLifE Journal.