May 30, 2010

Salt: Friend or Foe



Current “politically correct nutrition” recommends salt avoidance, and indeed it seems that our industrial food system strongly relies on copious amounts of fake salt in order to add flavor to their fake food fair, giving us yet another reason to quit eating it. The refined salt used in these food (and in most people’s kitchens) is processed with excessive heat, stripped of all it’s nutrients, and combined with substances such as aluminum, sugar, and anti-caking agents.

But what about the unprocessed salt obtained from the sea and from natural deposits that was used by traditional peoples? Because of its ability to hinder the growth of bad bacteria, it provided one the first food preservation methods for both meats and lacto-fermented vegetables. It is also a source of nearly 80 trace minerals, minerals that are so lacking in our modern food. In Dr. Price’s research of traditional people groups, he found the people living near the ocean to be the healthiest of all. Might this be due to the abundance of minerals from the sea in their diets?

Changing to unrefined natural salt is a very easy step in the transition to real food. Some choices of mineral rich, properly harvested salts include Celtic salt, Himalayan salt, and RealSalt. Don’t be fooled by white refined salt labeled “sea salt.” Unrefined salts are usually grey or pink and slightly moist. Many unrefined salts are too moist for a salt shaker, but we have found that RealSalt works fine in our salt shakers (although it sometimes requires a gentle tap to get it flowing). Other types of natural salts work great for cooking, and you might be surprised at the improved flavor.

share facebook tweet

No comments:

Post a Comment

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails