Sea salt and table salt have similar amounts of sodium. Sea salt contains trace amounts of minerals but not enough to support health benefits. (Photo by Craig Gautreaux)

News Release Distributed 03/31/15

BATON ROUGE, La. – Sea salt is sprinkled on chocolate and caramels and used to enhance the flavors of vegetables and meats. Sea salt is a trendy food ingredient. LSU AgCenter area nutrition agent Kate Farbe said nutritionally it is not very different from table salt despite popularized claims that it is healthier.

“While the two products do have some differences, the actual sodium content of sea salt and table salt is usually the same,” Farbe said.

The nutrition agent said both have approximately 575 milligrams of sodium per one-quarter teaspoon.

Table salt is mined from salt deposits and undergoes processing to make smaller, more palatable and uniform granules. Sea salt is obtained from the evaporation of sea water. Farbe said sea salt has either no or little processing and may contain trace minerals such as magnesium, potassium and calcium.

“There is not sufficient evidence to support potential health benefits associated with scant amounts of minerals found in sea salt,” she said.

Farbe said regardless of which type of salt you choose, the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends 2,300 milligrams of sodium or about one teaspoon per day for all individuals between 9 and 51 years old. If you are African-American or over 51, have hypertension, diabetes or chronic kidney disease, no more than 1,500 milligrams or three-quarter teaspoon per day is recommended

Farbe said most people are consuming much more than the recommended daily allowance.

“The average person consumes around 3,600 milligrams of sodium per day,” she said.

To cut back on sodium intake, Farbe recommends removing the salt shaker from the table and eating more fresh fruits and vegetables and fewer pre-packaged products.