Some salts contain heavy metals and microplastics, but health risks depend on exposure levels and processing.
Original: 5 Salt Brand To AVOID At All Costs (And 3 That Won't POISON You)
TL;DR
Claims about salt contamination are partially supported by research, though evidence varies widely across assertions.
Quick Answer
The five salt brands or categories to avoid are Redmond's Real Salt, Great Value iodized salt, Himalayan pink salt, Cape Herb and Spice, and all salts mined from ancient underground seabeds due to contamination with lead, arsenic, plastic, or toxic anti-caking agents like yellow prussiate of soda (made with cyanide). The three safe brands recommended are Jacobsen Salt Co., Maldon, and Salter, which source sea salt from clean waters, undergo independent testing, and contain minimal heavy metals and microplastics. Salter, in particular, is highlighted for its rigorous third-party testing, high electrolyte content, and sourcing from pristine Norwegian waters.
Claims (10)
1. Some table salts you can buy might have tiny amounts of harmful metals like lead or arsenic because of where the salt comes from in the ground.
2. Tiny plastic particles might mess with your body's hormones and cause cell damage, which could lead to health problems over time.
3. Salt we eat might get tiny plastic bits in it during factory processing, and we can't see or taste them — but we could be eating them over time without knowing.
4. Arsenic is a harmful metal that can mess up how your cells work, damage your DNA, and stop important proteins from doing their jobs by sticking to them and creating stress in the cells.
5. Lead is a harmful metal that builds up in your body, messes with how your brain and nerves work, and can permanently damage the brain, nerves, kidneys, and reproductive organs—especially in kids.
6. Sea salt is cleaner than rock salt because it's filtered through nature and factories, and it doesn’t sit in metal-heavy rocks for ages like mined salt does.
7. Some table salts use anti-caking chemicals like sodium ferrocyanide, which are made with cyanide and might break down into a toxic substance that can mess with your cells' energy production.
8. Salt from old underground sea beds can pick up tiny amounts of metals like lead and arsenic over time because it's been sitting near rocky areas that contain those metals.
9. Sea salt from clean oceans probably has fewer heavy metals than rock salt, and if cleaned right, it has almost no tiny plastic bits in it.
10. Clean salt is good for your body, but if salt is contaminated, it can carry hidden toxins that build up in your organs, upset your gut, mess with your hormones, and harm your cells.
Key Takeaways
- •Problem: Many popular salt brands contain hidden toxins like lead, arsenic, plastic, or chemicals made with cyanide, which can harm your brain, gut, and cells over time.
- •Core methods: Avoid Redmond’s Real Salt, Himalayan pink salt, Great Value table salt, Cape Herb and Spice, and all mined ancient seabed salts; choose Jacobsen Salt Co., Maldon, and Salter instead.
- •How methods work: Mined salts pick up heavy metals from surrounding rock, while processed salts add harmful anti-caking agents; sea salts from clean water like Norway’s coast avoid these issues and are tested to prove safety.
- •Expected outcomes: You’ll reduce your exposure to dangerous contaminants and get more beneficial minerals like magnesium and potassium for better energy and brain function.
- •Implementation timeframe: Immediate improvement in dietary safety upon switching; long-term benefits in reduced toxin accumulation over months to years.
Overview
The widespread assumption that salt is a benign, inert mineral is challenged by evidence of toxic contaminants in many popular brands. Problematically, salts sourced from ancient underground deposits—such as Redmond’s Real Salt and Himalayan pink salt—are consistently found to contain lead and arsenic due to prolonged contact with metal-rich rock formations. Additionally, processed table salts often include synthetic additives like yellow prussiate of soda, a cyanide-derived anti-caking agent. Physical contaminants, such as plastic particles in Cape Herb and Spice, further demonstrate lapses in food safety. The solution lies in selecting sea salt harvested from clean, low-industrial regions and verified through independent testing. Recommended brands—Jacobsen Salt Co., Maldon, and Salter—meet these criteria, offering cleaner profiles with beneficial electrolyte content.
Key Terms
How to Apply
- 1.Step 1: Stop using any salt sourced from ancient underground seabed mines, including Redmond’s Real Salt and Himalayan pink salt, due to unavoidable heavy metal contamination.
- 2.Step 2: Avoid processed table salts like Great Value that contain yellow prussiate of soda (an anti-caking agent made with cyanide) and dextrose, opting instead for pure sea salt with no additives.
- 3.Step 3: Choose sea salt brands that source from low-pollution regions (e.g., Norway) and publish third-party test results for heavy metals and microplastics, such as Jacobsen Salt Co., Maldon, or Salter.
- 4.Step 4: Verify that the brand conducts regular independent testing and openly shares contaminant reports to ensure ongoing product safety.
- 5.Step 5: Prioritize salts with naturally higher electrolyte content (magnesium, potassium) to support cellular function and counteract deficiencies common in filtered water diets.
By following these steps, you will eliminate exposure to lead, arsenic, cyanide-derived additives, and microplastics from salt, while increasing intake of beneficial electrolytes, leading to improved long-term health and reduced risk of chronic cellular damage.
Claims (10)
1. Some table salts you can buy might have tiny amounts of harmful metals like lead or arsenic because of where the salt comes from in the ground.
2. Tiny plastic particles might mess with your body's hormones and cause cell damage, which could lead to health problems over time.
3. Salt we eat might get tiny plastic bits in it during factory processing, and we can't see or taste them — but we could be eating them over time without knowing.
4. Arsenic is a harmful metal that can mess up how your cells work, damage your DNA, and stop important proteins from doing their jobs by sticking to them and creating stress in the cells.
5. Lead is a harmful metal that builds up in your body, messes with how your brain and nerves work, and can permanently damage the brain, nerves, kidneys, and reproductive organs—especially in kids.
6. Sea salt is cleaner than rock salt because it's filtered through nature and factories, and it doesn’t sit in metal-heavy rocks for ages like mined salt does.
7. Some table salts use anti-caking chemicals like sodium ferrocyanide, which are made with cyanide and might break down into a toxic substance that can mess with your cells' energy production.
8. Salt from old underground sea beds can pick up tiny amounts of metals like lead and arsenic over time because it's been sitting near rocky areas that contain those metals.
9. Sea salt from clean oceans probably has fewer heavy metals than rock salt, and if cleaned right, it has almost no tiny plastic bits in it.
10. Clean salt is good for your body, but if salt is contaminated, it can carry hidden toxins that build up in your organs, upset your gut, mess with your hormones, and harm your cells.
Related Content
Claims (10)
Clean salt is good for your body, but if salt is contaminated, it can carry hidden toxins that build up in your organs, upset your gut, mess with your hormones, and harm your cells.
Lead is a harmful metal that builds up in your body, messes with how your brain and nerves work, and can permanently damage the brain, nerves, kidneys, and reproductive organs—especially in kids.
Some table salts you can buy might have tiny amounts of harmful metals like lead or arsenic because of where the salt comes from in the ground.
Salt from old underground sea beds can pick up tiny amounts of metals like lead and arsenic over time because it's been sitting near rocky areas that contain those metals.
Some table salts use anti-caking chemicals like sodium ferrocyanide, which are made with cyanide and might break down into a toxic substance that can mess with your cells' energy production.