Gourmet salt as bad as table salt for health

They're the posh sea salts trumpeted by famous chefs from Delia to Nigel and Jamie.

But new research suggests gourmet brands such as Maldon and Tidman’s are no better for your health than the plain old table stuff.

While the TV chefs may rave about them for their different texture, colour and flavour, it seems many of us also believe the pricier salts are the healthier choice. In fact, one in four Which? members say that’s why they buy them.

The study, by Consensus Action on Salt and Health (CASH) and Which?, says phrases such as “natural” or “contains minerals” on the packets of more expensive salt has led to confusion among consumers who think they are getting a healthier alternative.

In fact, many contain just as much potentially damaging sodium chloride as standard brands like Saxa – and the grains are larger, so consumers are eating more. The consequences, say medical experts, could be devastating for our health.

Graham MacGregor, CASH chairman and professor of cardiovascular medicine at the Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine, says: “It is disgraceful that chefs still encourage people to use so much sea and rock salt.

“This has the added danger that, as the crystal sizes are much larger and don’t taste as salty, more salt is consumed. Reducing salt intake by just by one gram per day is predicted to prevent over 6,000 deaths from strokes and heart attacks a year.”

Which? chief policy adviser Sue Davies adds: "Many of us are trying to reduce the amount of salt in our diet, but our research shows that people are needlessly spending more money on 'premium' salt as they often believe it's healthier than traditional table salt.

“Given that most of the salt we eat is already in the food we buy, the cheapest - and healthiest - option would be to stop adding extra salt to food altogether. Which? is calling on food manufacturers to reduce the amount of salt in their foods, and we'll be monitoring their progress over the coming months."

The research found that gourmet salts contain approximately 100 per cent sodium chloride, the same as table salt.

Sodium chloride is said to cause high blood pressure, leading to strokes, heart failure and heart disease as well as being linked to osteoporosis, stomach cancer and kidney disease.

The CASH report insists: “The results show they all contain just as much sodium chloride as each other, and are therefore just as damaging for our health.”

The study accuses many brands of making “spurious” health allegations on their packets. It cites as misleading, for instance, Tidman’s statement that its natural rock salt is a “natural seasoning containing important minerals essential for a healthy diet.”

It also slates the Cornish Sea Salt Co’s claim that its product is the “tastier and healthier alternative to traditional table salt by retaining over 60 naturally occurring trace elements and minerals essential for wellbeing.”

Such claims, the study adds, have a huge impact on buyers’ choice, with 24 per cent of Which? members saying they buy rock or sea salt because it is healthier and 39 per cent saying they believe it to be “more natural.”

Nearly half (46 per cent) believe rock or sea salt is worth paying extra for – with the likes of Halen Mon Pure White Sea Salt costing £1.80 per 100g compared to 0.08p per 100g for Saxa Table Salt, and specialist salt Zauber der Gewurze’s Fleur de Sel costing £9.29 per 100g – 116 times as much.

CASH insists: “Salt is not a good source of minerals – eating a healthy, balanced diet will ensure you have enough minerals in your diet.”

Nutritionist Kay Dilley adds: "Most of the salt we eat, about 75 per cent, is hidden in the food we buy, and we are already eating more than our daily recommended maximum of 6g. If you have to use salt, try to limit the amount you use, there really is absolutely no need to add salt to your food.”

Gourmands, however, claim that specialist sea and rock salts taste better.

On her website, deliaonline.com, Delia Smith sings the praises of Maldon: “Salt is much maligned these days, yet used sparingly it accentuates flavour in all foods. The very best kind of salt for all cooking is, in my opinion, English sea salt from Maldon, in Essex.

“It's not a powdery pouring salt that contains chemicals to stop it getting damp and make it pour freely, but an absolutely pure salt that tastes of the sea. If you do a side-by-side tasting you'll find it is less sharp but somehow saltier (so you need to use less).”

But CASH says: “Some gourmet salts also have a larger crystal size, these might not taste as salty as finer grains so the danger is you could end up using even more.

“There are plenty of great flavours around, such as herbs, spices, pepper, lemon and garlic, which can be used instead of salt to flavour food. It only takes a couple of weeks to get used to food without salt so stick with it.”

See actiononsalt.co.uk

This article was published on Thu 17 November 2011