French Sea Salt vs. Himalayan Salt: Which One Is Healthier?

If you want to settle for a healthier diet, you can narrow your options to premium ingredients, including premium salts. When it comes to premium salts, the debate between French Grey Sea Salt vs. Himalayan Salt continues as the top option; however, which of the two is healthier?

French Grey Sea Salt is known to balance your body’s salt-to-water ratio, which hydrates and nourishes your body. Meanwhile, Himalayan salt improves digestion and encourages weight loss, making it an ideal choice for those with weight concerns.

Undoubtedly, if you decide to take the healthier course, changing the salt you use in food to the healthiest will make a difference. Read more about why health enthusiasts debate French Grey Sea Salt vs. Himalayan Salt and our take based on the research and evidence-based practices.

Let’s start by defining French Grey Sea Salt…

What Is French Grey Sea Salt?

Farmers harvest Grey Salt by evaporating seawater from salt pans. They follow a 2000-year-old Celtic technique passed through generations.

Most of the time, the terms Celtic Sea Salt and French Sea Salt are used intermittently and considered similar; however, that’s not the case. This confusion results as some sections of the Celtic Sea, in the Atlantic Ocean, overlap with coastal areas of France.

For instance, Celtic Sea Salt, also commonly known as Sel Gris or Grey Salt, is harvested from seawater in the estuaries near the town of Guérande in France. Technically, this is French Sea Salt; however, companies have conveniently branded their products as Celtic Sea Salt.

In this article, French Sea Salt means the salts harvested from the coastal area of France. Some of the product lines sold by the company Celtic Sea Salt®, such as Light Grey Celtic® and Fine Ground Celtic® can be considered French Sea Salts as those products are harvested in France; however, all of their products are not true French Sea Salts or Celtic Sea Salts.

Similarly, there are many other salt companies that use the term ‘Celtic Sea Salts’ and ‘French Sea Salts’ in confusing and misleading ways.

Popular brands of French Sea Salts are: Nature Quest By Country Farm and Redmond.

Regardless, drying French Sea Salt directly from the pan retains its moisture content and minerals, giving it a light Grey color, which may lead to its popular name, “French Grey Sea Salt’. The technique of harvesting ensures the best quality, preserves its enzymes, and maintains the elements so you can fully benefit from it.

How Can You Benefit From French Sea Grey Salt?

French Grey salt has several benefits because of the several minerals and elements it contains. So, how do these minerals in Grey salt benefit the human body? This is how!

1. It Balances Body Fluid Levels

The body works wonderfully, and the water-to-salt ratio affects how bodily fluids regulate each other. Although increasing your sodium intake will cause water retention, decreasing salt levels will dehydrate your body.

In energy drinks, electrolytes like sodium and potassium work together to balance your bodily fluids, regulate your heartbeat, and keep you hydrated. Consuming a healthy amount of sea salt will help you control fluid levels.

2. Encourages a Healthy Sleeping Pattern

French Grey Sea Salt is full of healthy minerals that reduce stress levels. Magnesium is critical in your routines because it regulates hormones like melatonin to improve your sleep-wake cycle.

And because a healthy salt intake can maintain hydration, you will feel well-rested in the morning after an undisturbed sleep. That way, you will feel alert and enthusiastic in the mornings.

3. Promotes Brain and Body Coordination

When you think or do something, your body and brain exchange waves of activity. Coordination between the two will create a reaction to the situation. Similarly, eating healthier food with the proper amount of salt will improve your health.

So, if you feel a lack of energy lately, your food may be causing it. Sodium doesn’t directly affect your natural responses, but it does distribute throughout your organs. When this happens, you will feel heavier and often light-headed.

That’s why you must monitor what you eat and drink, as too much of something is unhealthy for the body.

Now, let’s turn into Himalayan Salt.

What Is Himalayan Salt?

When seabeds dried around 200 million years ago, the crystallized salt remained after several volcanic eruptions. You can find pink salt along the foothills of the Himalayan mountains as a result of this theory.

Himalayan salt receives its natural pink and rosy hue from iron oxide in the salt. It contains up to 84 minerals and trace elements that benefit us in several ways. Some prefer to limit the pink salt in dishes, whereas others use it in beauty care and construction (Himalayan Salt Bricks).

Genuine Himalayan Salt

As a naturally preserved salt, it is pure and organic. However, others attempt to replicate its pink hue but make it with plastic (You are warned!). Consuming plastic is poisonous, especially if it melts in your digestive tract.

It is crucial to monitor what you eat and what you put in your food, especially salt! So, how can you tell if your pink Himalayan salt is genuine and authentic?

Authentic And Fake Himalayan Salts

Follow the below tips to distinguish genuine Himalayan Salt from the shams.

1. It Comes in Big Chunks

Genuine Himalayan Salts are collected from mines with tools, leaving it in crystallized clusters. So, if your store-bought pink salt has finer grains, it’s not authentic.

2. The Texture is Unique

Since Himalayan salt is on the heavier mineral side, it contains more water and melts faster. When handled, it feels stickier and rougher on the hands, and you can identify genuine pink salt at a glance.

3. It Tastes Saltier

Since pink Himalayan Salt is rich in minerals and has a high sodium content, it tastes saltier than other dietary salts. So, if it feels bland, it’s inauthentic.

With that knowledge, let’s turn into different scenarios to identify the best salt out of French Grey Sea Salt and Himalayan Salt, to consume for each.

What Is The Best Salt For Diabetics?

When your blood sugar levels are higher than average, it is crucial to check your diet. Although salt does not directly affect your blood sugar, it may contribute to risk factors for raised blood sugar levels. That’s why balanced meals and proportions are vital.

In other words, if you think that sugar is the only factor that affects your blood sugar, then think again because everything you consume contributes to your blood sugar levels. From carbohydrates, protein, and sodium, everything you eat and drink will affect your health.

So, what is the best choice for those with diabetes? Between Grey sea salt vs. Himalayan salt, which regulates your blood sugar?

Salt Influences Insulin

An average adult should consume at least 2,300mg of salt daily, so below or above average is unsafe. That’s what the American Heart Association recommends.

A significant drop in sodium can increase insulin resistance, so your body will find it challenging to regulate your blood volume.

Low sodium will lead to complex health issues and affect those with diabetes. If you want to get your health on track, control your sodium levels with the right salt.

Himalayan Salt Regulates Blood Sugar

The wrong diet can lead to salt deficiency, and going low-carb is not as healthy as you think. If you focus on reducing your carbohydrates, you become unaware that your body is also cutting back on salt.

Himalayan salt supplies enough sodium and chloride to the body, so you won’t go overboard with your meals. Cravings are natural, but if you start craving saltier food, then your body might be low on sodium.

Himalayan Salt For Diabetics

If you need to make a choice, go pink. So, switch to Himalayan salt to regulate blood sugar and control your cravings.

What is the Best Salt For High Blood Pressure?

Salt gradually dehydrates the body, so you will become thirstier. If you have excess water, it will increase your blood volume. So, when your heart pumps harder to circulate the blood volume throughout the body, it will increase blood pressure.

The short answer is you should be really careful with consuming salt, if you have high blood pressure. So, the answer to this question should always come from your dietician or health care provider.

However, we will still try to explore the superficial answer here.

Grey Sea Salt Vs. Himalayan Salt In Reducing Blood Pressure

After discussing the Grey and Pink Salts above, you may wonder what salt is better for reducing blood pressure. Both have similar generally mineral content and benefits, so which one is more suitable for high blood pressure?

Truthfully, both are. Both have similar properties, but you can alternate both to see which one you like better. They’re not that different, but if you want to see their differences, here they are…

It is best to explain further based on the scientific evidence.

Sea Salt May Decrease Blood Pressure

Natural sea salt
contains anti-hypertensive minerals like potassium, calcium, and magnesium, so it induces less hypertension than refined salt.

Most hypertensive people who take magnesium supplements have shown a significant decrease in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

French Sea salt generally contains a higher magnesium content, but its sodium content is lesser than in table salts.

Himalayan Salt Relaxes Blood Vessels

Due to its saltier taste, Himalayan Salt is recommended to use less in dishes. That way, you can accurately measure how much you put in. It also prevents you from putting too much salt on your body, which can be harmful to consume.

Himalayan salt also contains magnesium, relaxes blood vessels, and reduces muscle stiffness. It helps you take it slower and become more at ease.

What is the Best Salt for Obesity?

If you’ve gone to a Dietician, they’ve told you the same thing: lower your sodium intake.

Himalayan Salt Detoxifies The Body

When you hear about Himalayan salt, you’d think of the rosy, pink hues in the crystals. However, there is ‘Kala Namak’ or Himalayan Black Salt from salt beds in the Sambhar Salt Lake.

It is similar to pink Himalayan Salt but burns at a higher temperature with charcoal. The aftertaste is smokey and charry.

Since black salt contains alkaline properties that greatly reduce acidity and boost digestion, eating less can often contribute to stomach issues and increase stomach acidity.

Go Himalayan To Combat Obesity

If black salt surprised you, then it should! It has plenty of alkaline properties that will improve your overall digestion and benefit your body in several ways. And if the unique color intrigues you, then you should give it a go.

Everything Affects Your Health, Not Just Your Diet

Although your diet contributes to most of the health and risk factors your body undergoes, exercise is critical in maintaining your fitness and physique. If you eat healthy but continue to be inactive, smoke and drink, then you are still putting your health in jeopardy.

Despite salt being the most used condiment and spice in meals, it’s not the only factor that you should consider. There are several others, like gluten, sugar, and fibre that risk your body.

So, even if there are articles that claim salt only impacts diabetes, hypertension, and obesity, you should always consult a dietician before risking a diet or lifestyle.

French Grey Sea Salt Vs. Himalayan Salt

Although Frensch Grey Sea Salt and Himalayan salt have different benefits, using them in ample amounts will control your diet. However, if you abuse your sodium intake, then using the recommended salt still would not suffice.

French Grey Sea Salt is fuller and richer in taste. It is best to use as a finishing touch to dishes and distinguishes it from others. You can control how much salt you put in the food, making it easier to use.

Meanwhile, Himalayan Salt is saltier, so you can immediately tell if you use too much when cooking and using it in your food. If you want to control your food tastes, then Himalayan is the way to go.

Himalayan Takes The Crown – But Not Always!

Generally speaking, Himalayan Salt has more benefits and uses. From health, wellness, diets, and beauty, you can use it any way you like. It also contains more minerals and trace elements than French Sea Salt, so it has a better hand.

So, if you’re looking to take the healthier route, go Himalayan as a safer option. It may help regulate blood pressure, encourage weight loss, and control insulin production only in correct amounts.

Don’t forget, any salt, when taken too much, will worsen your diabetes and will result in high blood pressure.

Other Salt Types And Alternatives

Here is the list of alternatives to French Sea Salts and Himalayan Salts.

• Bamboo Salt
• Celtic Sea Salt
• Chicken Salt
• Chinen Salt
• Dead Sea Salt
• Epsom Salt
• Garlic Salt
• Hawaiian Salt
• Himalayan Salt
• Red Salt
• Smoked Salt

Let us know if you have any comments or questions.