There’s been a lot of conversation lately about salt - heavy metals, microplastics, which salt is “clean,” which one to avoid.

And like most things in nutrition, there is some truth here… but also a lot of exaggeration!

Yes, salt can contain trace amounts of heavy metals.

Yes, microplastics have been detected in some salt products.

But when you zoom out and look at this through a functional, holistic lens, salt is not where I am focusing most of my attention.

What matters far more is the overall picture of someone’s diet, environment, and daily habits.

What actually moves the needle

When I’m thinking about someone’s health - skin, digestion, hormones, energy - these are the areas I care much more about:

✨Overall diet quality

This is always the foundation!

Are you eating enough real food?

Are you getting adequate protein?

Are you eating a variety of nutrient-dense foods?

Are you eating mostly at home using quality ingredients, or at restaurants where ingredients/cookware are often poor quality?

This is where mineral status is built - salt is just an extra.

✨Water quality

This is one of the biggest, most consistent exposures.

If you are drinking water all day (which you are), the quality of that water matters far more than the type of salt you are using.

​Here’s a post about my favorite water filters.​

✨Plastics and food packaging

Daily exposure from plastics - water bottles, takeout containers, packaged foods - is a much more meaningful contributor to microplastics and hormone disruptors than salt.

✨Ultra-processed food

This is one of the biggest drivers of both metabolic issues and overall toxic load.

If most of your diet is coming from packaged foods, that will impact your health far more than which salt you choose.

✨Seafood quality

Seafood can be incredibly nutrient-dense, but it can also be a source of environmental exposure depending on sourcing.

This is a much bigger lever than salt.

✨Cookware and storage

What you cook in and store food in matters.

Shifting away from plastics and low-quality nonstick cookware is a higher-impact change than switching salts.

✨Digestion and mineral status

This is the piece that often gets forgotten.

Minerals are not just about what you consume - they are about what you absorb and how your body uses them.

If digestion is off, you are not going to fix that with a “better” salt.

So do you have to worry about salt quality?

Salt is one small piece of a much bigger picture.

Natural salts may contain small amounts of both trace minerals and trace contaminants.

Refined salts are more purified.

But the difference between salts is relatively small compared to everything above.

My practical take on salt

I still prefer using a high-quality, unrefined salt in my kitchen.

I like this because it is less processed and more in line with how I generally approach food - it’s what our body would recognize in nature.

Salts I personally like and use:

​Redmond Real Salt​

This is one of my go-to salts. It comes from an ancient sea deposit in Utah and tends to be very consistent in quality and taste.

​Baja Gold Sea Salt​

This is another mineral-rich salt that I like, especially for adding to water or using more intentionally for electrolytes.

These types of salts feel like a good middle ground - minimally processed, good flavor, and easy to use day to day.

​Maldon Sea Salt Flakes​

This is what I use as a finishing salt. It has a really clean taste and that light, flaky texture that makes food taste better without needing much (it's the best sprinkled onto a piece of buttered toast!). I think of this more as a flavor enhancer than an everyday cooking salt

Why I don’t typically use kosher salt

Kosher salt is essentially pure sodium chloride.

It is very refined and stripped of any trace minerals.

And while I don’t think that makes it harmful, I also don’t see a strong reason to use it as my primary salt - I like using a source that still contains the natural trace minerals. (plus, you get plenty of refined salt in restaurants and through processed foods)

Again, salt is not the main way I rely on minerals - but if I am using something every single day, I would rather it be a less processed option.

The big takeaway

It’s easy to get pulled into very specific concerns like this.

But when you zoom out, the biggest drivers of health - and even environmental exposure - are much more foundational.

Focus on real food, clean water, reducing plastic exposure, and supporting digestion.

In health,

-Daina

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​tabletocrave.com​

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