Is there a best type of salt for health? Understand

For many centuries, salt has been used to preserve and enhance the flavor of foods. But, despite being part of human history, this ingredient is seen as a health villain, especially if consumed in excess. Given this, the search for a “healthiest” type of salt has become a concern.

Light salt, Himalayan pink salt, sea salt… Which one would be best? According to experts consulted by CNN the truth is that any and all types of salt, when consumed above the recommended amount, may pose health risks .

According to Cristiano Merheb, nutritionist at Espaço Merheb (@espacomerhebmedicina), Excessive salt consumption can lead to hypertension . Consequently, high blood pressure can increase the risk of cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks, strokes and heart failure.

“Although the biggest causes of cardiovascular diseases are not related to excessive salt consumption, there must be a limit”, he warns.

This limit has already been established by the WHO (World Health Organization): 5 grams of salt per day , maximum. However, Brazil is well above this limit, as Fernando Nobre, a cardiologist specializing in high blood pressure, points out.

“In Brazil, salt consumption is 12 grams per day, on average”, he states. “Only around 2.5% of the population consumes what is recommended by the WHO. This is, among other reasons, the reason why we have 30% of adults with hypertension in the country”, he adds.

The mortality rate from high blood pressure in Brazil has reached the highest value in the last ten years. According to the Ministry of Health, data from the 2021 Mortality Information System (SIM) indicates the occurrence of 18.7 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants in the country.

Light salt is the best option, but the quantity is what really matters

In the supermarket, you can find different types of salt: common (or refined) salt, light salt, sea salt and pink Himalayan salt are some of them. But what is the difference between these options?

• Refined salt : it is obtained by the evaporation of sea water, but it goes through bleaching and refining processes;
• Light salt : contains less sodium in its composition, being composed of 50% sodium chloride and 50% potassium chloride;
• Sea salt : results from evaporation from the sea and does not go through the refining process, which makes it purer and with a less salty flavor than refined salt;
• Himalayan pink salt : comes from the Himalayan salt flats, in Asia, and is composed, in addition to sodium, of bicarbonate, calcium, magnesium, potassium, bromide, sulfate and strontium.

Nobre explains that, because light salt has less sodium and more potassium he may be the most beneficial dietary option . “In addition to having less sodium, which increases blood pressure, there is more potassium, which helps to reduce it”, explains the cardiologist.

A recent study showed that light salt is associated with a lower risk of dying prematurely from any cause or from cardiovascular disease. The research was published in early April, in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.

However, even though it is a healthier option, You need to be careful with the amount you ingest . “There are two potential problems with light salt: people use larger amounts in search of the same palatability and, therefore, eat as much sodium as that contained in other types of salt; and the higher cost, which may mean that it is not used by the general population,” he comments.

This goes for pink Himalayan salt. “It has other minerals in its composition, but does not justify its widespread use”, says Nobre.

How do I know if I'm consuming too much salt?

After all, how do I know if I'm consuming more salt than recommended? The expert gives a simple tip: in a family with 5 adults who eat regularly at home, there should be no consumption of more than 1 kg of salt per month .

Another interesting tip is to understand the proportion: 5 grams of salt are equivalent to 5 level spoons of coffee . Paying attention to this when preparing your meals can be an interesting way to be careful with excessive salt consumption.

Be careful with ultra-processed foods

In addition to salt consumption itself, it is essential to pay attention to other types of foods that can significantly increase the amount of sodium consumed per day.

“To consume salt in a balanced way, you need to avoid processed foods that already contain a large amount of added sodium, such as soft drinks, frozen ready-to-eat foods, instant noodles, soup, ready-made seasonings… All of these are very rich in salt”, he warns. Merheb.

The nutritionist emphasizes that adding salt to homemade preparations, in moderation, is not a problem. “The issue of excess sodium is present in processed foods throughout life,” he warns.

According to cardiologist Fernando Nobre, other types of foods are also rich in sodium and can be dangerous to your health. This is the case of:

• Grated Parmesan;
• Mortadella;
• Tapioca starch biscuit;
• Mayonnaise;
• corn snacks;
• Crackers;
• Soy sauce (Shoyu).