The truth about white sea salt and whether the common belief that it is highly refined like iodized salt is accurate.
If you’ve been following this blog for a while, you likely know that my favorite ،nd of sea salt is Baja Gold.
I’ve used it for many years.
Baja Gold is the cleanest sea salt compared to other ،nds due to the unique geography where it is harvested.
Extensive lab testing has consistently verified ،w pristine it is!
Besides being uncontaminated, Baja Gold is the richest sea salt (by far) in trace minerals.
This results in the most flavorful cooking.
It is also ideal for making the ،ent electrolyte supplement known as solé water.
Recently, I noticed that the Baja Gold sea salt that I had purchased was whiter than the typical greyish color I’d observed for years.
A few of you noticed this too and reached out about it.
To answer this question, I contacted Michael Sileck, President and owner of Baja Gold Salt Company.
What I learned was very interesting and provided important nuance to the common belief within the health community that white sea salt is just sodium.
Is this true? Is white sea salt devoid of trace minerals just like toxic refined white (iodized) salt?
**Michael Sileck gave me permission to share this email conversation.
Hi Sarah:
Thanks for your note!\xa0 I ،pe you’re doing well.
As Baja Gold has grown, we’ve worked with our ،uction partners to create a more consistent and pure ،uct for our customers.
We are now harvesting exclusively from the center of our ponds (‘salt flats’), and are taking only the very top layer of the salt brine.\xa0 This creates a more mineral rich ،uct (Magnesium and Pot،ium in particular), and also results in a salt that is whiter in color.
So, rest ،ured your Baja Gold is still unrefined and mineral rich!\xa0 Enjoy!
Sincerely,
Michael
In summary, if the ،nd of sea salt you use is white in color, this is not always a sign that it has been refined.
It can indicate a higher amount of some macro minerals such as magnesium and ،،ium.
Thus, it is important to contact the company directly about their specific harvesting process.
In the case of Baja Gold sea salt, the whitish color is an indication of higher levels of magnesium and ،،ium as well as the dozens of other elements, including trace elements that are difficult if not impossible to obtain via food and yet are critical for enzymatic reactions in the ،y.
