Most of the salt in our kitchens and restaurants and the type used in processed foods is that of the ordinary, white, highly refined variety. Chemically, this is NaCl or sodium chloride. Sodium and chloride are two important minerals that are needed by the human body. However, in unrefined salt (before processing) there are 60-80 different minerals, and all of these are also important for human health. Individuals who consume a large amount of processed or fast foods usually are ingesting way more sodium than is healthy for the body, and missing out on the valuable minerals that are no longer in the refined salt.

Salt is obtained from salt mines (ancient dried ocean beds) or evaporated ocean water. If nothing else is done besides packaging, this is unprocessed or unrefined salt. It will be approximately 84% NaCl and 16% other minerals, such as sulfur, magnesium, potassium, silicon, zinc, phosphorous. Salt that is sold like this is a very small percentage of all the salt that is sold.

The vast majority of salt is chemically “cleaned,” leaving a product that is 97% NaCl and 3% man-made chemicals that are added to absorb moisture and ensure an even flow. Iodine is sometimes also added (it is the one mineral that is lost during evaporation), and in some countries – France and Uruguay, for example – fluoride is often added. This highly refined salt is dried above 1200 degrees Fahrenheit (650 Celsius). This excessive heat alone alters the natural chemical structure of the salt.

Authentic Himalayan salt (pink in color) and Celtic or French Atlantic sea salt (light gray in color) are examples of two highly regarded unrefined salts. Each of these may have slight properties or benefits that the other doesn’t have, so I personally like to have both in my kitchen. I typically use the Celtic salt during cooking, and the Himalayan for finishing. Other recommended unrefined salts can be found in the annual edition of the Shopping Guide of The Weston A. Price Foundation.

Do your bodies a favor and replace all of the refined salt in your kitchen with a high quality unrefined salt. Use the white stuff for melting ice on your sidewalks during the winter, or cleaning the inside of your fish tank. Those are much better uses of the product!