What are sea salt benefits and side effects? Is sea salt vegan? Gluten free? Acidic or alkaline? Low fodmap? Good for you? Healthy? Sustainable? Here are sea salt pros and cons: all the info on sea salt that every ethical consumer wants to know…
Food is something we consume every day and if you’re like me, you do all the research you can to make sure you don’t hurt yourself, the planet, animals or others when shopping. As an ethical consumer myself, I am giving you all the info I’ve found on sea salt benefits and side effects.
You are going to learn all about sea salt benefits and side effects. This will include sea salt benefits for your health and potential risks, sea salt water footprint and sea salt carbon footprint, sea salt sustainability, if sea salt is vegan or impact animals in other ways, and much more.
After learning if sea salt is good or bad for you, the environment, animals and human rights, you will be able to make the best choices you can the next time you buy food.
This post is all about sea salt benefits and side effects that every ethical consumer should know.
Sea Salt Benefits And Side Effects
Health
Sea salt health benefits may include
- better digestion
- brain health
- improved bowel health
- muscle cramps prevention
- satisfy thirst for a longer period of time
- adrenal fatigue treatment
- heart disease prevention and cardiovascular health
- reduced inflammation
- regulated blood pressure
- acne, psoriasis and eczema treatment
- anti-aging and skin health
- decreased skin dryness and inflammation (when added to bathwater)
- eliminated bloat and water retention
Sea salt side effects may include:
- high blood pressure (if over-consumed)
Additionally, sea salt is…
- Alkaline 7.5 pH level once digested
- Gluten Free
- Not a common Food Allergen
- Low Fodmap
Environment
Water footprint: unknown
Carbon footprint: unknown
Destruction: low, sea salt production is relatively sustainable, there is no known significant damage to air, water, land, soil, forests, etc. as long as pesticides have not been used, be sure to buy Non-GMO/organic, as toxic, chemical pesticides contaminate air, water, soil, etc.
Sea salt is…
- Sustainable
Animals
Kills: none, sea salt production does not require any animals to be killed
Harms: none, sea salt production does not require any animals to be used
Indirectly kills or harms: none, no animals are indirectly killed or harmed from sea salt production as long as toxic chemicals have not been used, be sure to buy Non-GMO/organic, as pesticides harm and kill wildlife and ecosystems by contaminating soil, water, air and plants that animals eat
Sea salt is…
Laborers
Health and safety: varies, overall, agriculture continues to be one of the most dangerous industries, farmworkers may be subject to dehydration, heat stroke, unprotected exposure to harmful, toxic chemicals and pesticides, unsafe machinery and clean drinking water may not always accessible
Living conditions: varies, laborers are often exploited, they may face tough working conditions including long hours in the sun and heat performing physically exhausting tasks, labor laws and rights may or may not be in place, even if worker protection exists, employer violations may go unreported, refugees and migrant workers are especially vulnerable to abuse and mistreatment, fearing consequences of job loss or deportation
Wages: varies, generally farmworkers earn meager wages, there are many cases of underpaid agricultural workers, wage theft and no overtime payment or benefits
Sea salt…
- May involve worker exploitation, laborer issues, human rights concerns
Is sea salt nutritious?
Sea salt usually contains various trace minerals like magnesium, calcium, potassium, iron and zinc (not iodine) but high in sodium.
Is sea salt alkaline or acidic?
Sea salt is alkaline.
What is the pH level of sea salt?
Sea salt has a 7.5 pH level once digested.
When you eat food, it breaks down to an ash residue that can be neutral, acidic or alkaline. Minerals such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, zinc, silver, copper and iron produce an alkaline ash; whereas sulfur, phosphorus, chlorine and iodine, which are in meat, coffee, dairy and alcohol, leave an acid ash.
Going alkaline easier than ever with this: Acidic and Alkaline Foods List
Is sea salt gluten free?
Yes, sea salt is gluten free. Sea salt does not contain gluten.
While celiac disease may not be as rampant as many marketing trends lead us to believe, you may have a gluten sensitivity…
Celiac and gluten sensitivity symptoms are similar and may include:
- recurring abdominal pain
- chronic diarrhea
- constipation
- tingling
- numbness in hands and feet
- chronic fatigue
- joint pain
- unexplained infertility
- low bone density (osteopenia or osteoporosis)
There are hundreds of potential symptoms, many of which are also symptoms of other conditions.
Going gluten-free easier than ever with this: Gluten and Gluten Free Foods List
Is sea salt a common food allergen?
No, sea salt is not a common food allergen. Some people may experience allergic reactions to sea salt but it is relatively rare by comparison.
A group of the eight major allergenic foods, AKA the Big-8, include:
- milk
- eggs
- fish
- crustacean shellfish
- tree nuts
- peanuts
- wheat
- soybeans
Severe food allergies can be life threatening. Following ingestion of a food allergen, a person with food allergies can experience a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis.
Persons may still be allergic to and have serious reactions to foods other than the eight foods identified by the law.
Be aware of common dietary restrictions and food allergens with this: The Big 8 Most Common Food Allergens List
Is sea salt low fodmap?
Yes, sea salt is low fodmap, a food you can eat if on a low fodmap diet.
A low FODMAP diet may help those with bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhea, stomach pain, and IBS (irritable bowel syndrome).
It’s all about knowing your body. Observe what works and what doesn’t. You body might even react negatively to a low-FODMAP food simply due to intolerance. Everyone is different! Be mindful and patient. Take time to get to know what’s best for your physical health and overall wellbeing.
See this High FODMAP and Low FODMAP List of Foods
Is sea salt vegan?
Yes, sea salt is vegan. Sea salt is salt that is produced by the evaporation of seawater and not an animal product or byproduct, therefore making it a vegan food.
Animals of factory farming are suffering. They live in horrific conditions that often include confinement, physical abuse and unnatural environments…so much so that they need to receive antibiotics to keep from getting ill or spreading disease. Growth hormones allow all kinds of animals to become fatter faster and live short lives.
Because we cannot see for ourselves how these animals live and what they endure does not mean it isn’t happening. The meat, poultry and dairy industries do everything they can to distance us from knowing how our food comes to be in order to keep us in the dark about what we support each time we buy animal derived products and byproducts.
Go vegan for animals!
It’s the best way to help animals and it’s not as difficult as you may think. Speak for animals with your actions, for they cannot speak at all.
Going vegan is easier than ever, at a glance with this: Vegan and Non Vegan Foods List
Is sea salt sustainable?
Sea salt production is relatively sustainable since there is no known significant damage to air, water, land, soil, forests, etc. as long as pesticides have not been used. Be sure to buy non GMO/organic, as toxic, chemical pesticides contaminate air, water, soil, etc. when using regenerative practices.
A 2018 Oxford University study – which is the most comprehensive analysis to date of the damage farming does to the planet – found that ‘avoiding meat and dairy is the single biggest way to reduce your impact on Earth’ as animal farming provides just 18% of calories but takes up 83% of our farmland.
Consuming animal products and byproducts is not environmentally friendly and is one of the worst things for the Earth. Not only is meat production wasteful, it causes enormous amounts of pollution. The industry is one of the biggest causes of climate change.
Does sea salt have human rights issues?
At this time there have been no major concerns with sea salt production but that doesn’t mean it isn’t happening!
It’s important to stay aware of human rights concerns and worker exploitation that may come with specific brands.
Did you know the single largest employer in the world is agriculture? The labor involved behind each and every product cannot go unrecognized.
Some known problems include workplace health and safety, child labor, gender inequality, inadequate pay, wage theft and exploitation. Workers can even experience harassment, humiliation and violence and unfair employers often fail to provide laborers with access to shade, drinking water, restrooms and breaks.
Such mistreatment is like modern day slavery. Workers are often afraid to report issues because they fear it will result in losing their jobs or deportation.
We can improve people’s lives with foods we eat every day simply by buying products that are certified fair trade.
Conclusion
Sea salt pros include:
- numerous health benefits
- sustainable
- vegan
- alkaline
- gluten free
- not a common food allergen
Sea salt cons include:
- high blood pressure (if over-consumed)
- possible laborer exploitation (as with most foods)
- pesticide ingestion and contamination if not organic (as with most produce)
This post was all about sea salt benefits and side effects.
Sources:
Sea Salt – Agricultural Marketing Service – USDA
