Table salt is refined salt that does not contain all the salts you need. The sodium chloride in table salt has been chemically cleaned and it takes an unnatural form that your body doesn’t recognize. Consider that table salt has been added to most processed foods you eat and then you add more table salt to the mix. During the processing of table salt, it is dried at a temperature of over 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit. Not surprisingly, this high heat alters salt’s natural chemical structure. So why is salt refined in the first place? Refined salt, having all of its minerals removed or “purified” is essentially a lifeless product. Being a lifeless product assures a long shelf life. In fact, refined salt can sit on the grocery shelf forever. A long shelf life is a valuable tool to maximize profits for food manufacturers. Manufacturers believe that an all-white salt product will look cleaner to the consumer and, therefore, increase sales so refined salt is bleached in order to obtain the white color. Also, if the salt is taken from a polluted area, the refining process will remove the toxins associated with the salt. So I believe you get the idea of why table salt is so damaging to our health.
But salt happens to be essential for life. We need salt, but we need the unrefined ones. Sodium plays a critical role in our bodies by helping regulate water balance, controlling muscle and nerve function, and keeping the circulatory system functioning properly. Our bodies require sodium to regulate blood pressure and protect against blood clotting. It also plays a role in the digestive system, helping to metabolize food. Unrefined salt has not been altered by man. Therefore, it contains many different minerals and elements that are useful for the body. For example, unrefined sea salt (e.g., Celtic Sea Salt) contains over 80 minerals and elements—all the natural elements necessary for life. This is contrasted with refined salt which contains two major items: sodium and chloride.
HOW REFINED SALT MAKES OUR BLOOD ACIDIC
Enzymes and hormones in our bodies were designed to utilize salt in its whole, natural form and not in a foreign, refined state. Utilizing salt in a devitalized form can weaken our immune system initiating and accelerating chronic illnesses, and promoting acidity in the body. The pH of the body is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of the body. In an acidic body, the pH is lowered, while in an alkaline body, the pH is elevated. The body has many overlapping mechanisms designed to keep the pH of the body in a neutral state around pH of 7.2.
When the pH of the body becomes either too acidic or too alkaline, normal physiologic functions decline. The organs of the body (kidneys, liver, brain, etc.) do not function efficiently unless the pH of the body is neutral ( at around 7.2). Enzymes, the catalysts for the body, are very sensitive to pH changes. They will lose most of their function when the pH is altered. Immune system cells are unable to protect us when the pH is imbalanced. In fact, no part of the body will work efficiently if the pH is not properly balanced.
An acidic pH is associated with many chronic illnesses including cancer, arthritis, osteoporosis, and Candida, as well as hormonal imbalances, and the food we eat can have a dramatic effect on pH. Generally, refined foods, stripped of all the healthy vitamins, minerals, and enzymes, are acidifying to the body. Minerals are one of the most alkalinizing agents to the body. Due to poor diets, many people today are mineral deficient. Mineral deficiency is often associated with a lowered pH (<7.0). Refined salt has no minerals in it, while unrefined salt is loaded with minerals. It is not rocket science to realize that unrefined salt will be better to promote a healthy pH.
Himalayan Salt (Pink salt) and Celtic Sea Salt are the most common unrefined sodium options to add flavor to your diet!
OTHER OPTIONS TO ADD FLAVOR TO MEALS:
- GOMASIO – (ground sesame seed with sea salt condiment; similar to furikake)
- DULSE – (red algae grown in the northern coasts of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans; great flavor enhancer!)
- LIQUID AMINOS – (protein concentrate derived from non-GMO soybeans and purified water with essential amino acids)
- FURIKAKE – (Japanese seasoning made of dried and ground sesame seeds and seaweed)
- TAMARI – (thicker, less salty fermented soy sauce that contains less wheat – if not any – than normal soy sauce)
- HERBAMARE – (organic fresh herbs and vegetables seasoning)
- TROCOMARE – (organic fresh herbs and vegetables seasoning)