A pinch of salt makes our food taste just better. It enhances flavour and helps preserve food (especially pickles!) for a long. In our daily life, salt can be used as a cleaning agent, courtesy the exfoliating properties in it. However, since food adulteration is making the headlines these days, how could salt – especially white refined salt – be excluded from this debate? For years, the discourse around white refined salt has been controversial. Several experts have considered it to be less healthy in comparison to rock salt (sendha namak). But the question here lies – how much of it is true and why? If you are wondering the same, then dear reader, you are just at the right place.
Also Read: How Table Salt Differs From Black Salt? From Taste To Uses And Benefits
Renowned nutritionist Amita Gadre (@amitagadre) shared a reel on her Instagram handle busting the myths around refined white salt while comparing it with rock salt (sendha namak).
Watch the full video below:
Is Refined White Salt Healthy Or Not?
Comparing white salt to rock salt (sendha namak), nutritionist Amita Gadre shares that both the types of salts come from natural sources, but are packaged in factories. White salt – which is derived from fresh seawater – is purified to remove pollutants, and fortified with iodine (to prevent goitre and hypothyroidism). So, it does not make it unhealthy.
1. Anticaking agents
The salt that gets packaged in the factories is mixed with some anticaking agents to prevent it from clumping up together. Nutritionist Gadre says that anticaking agents are important otherwise once exposed to moisture, the salt will clump into a ball and would be difficult to use every day.
2. Sodium Levels
Nutritionist Gadre reveals that refined white salt contains sodium, and so does its competitor – rock salt. The minerals which get discussed widely are not present in rock salt either. She adds that if you want minerals, eat nutritious foods and pulses.
3. Hypertension
Rock salt and refined white salt both have sodium and can lead to hypertension if consumed in excess. Nutritionist Gadre adds that both these salts should be consumed within limits.
Besides, the nutritionist further Gadre asserted that we can’t get enough iodine from just food sources. This is why the government has made iodisation of salt compulsory in our country.
Also Read: How To Use Salt In Cooking – 7 Easy Tips
Make your food choices mindfully and enjoy a good health!
