Generally, salts come from seawater or Rock deposits. It is a crystal composed of two elements that are sodium and chloride. Normal Salt is known as sodium chloride, and iodized Salt is a salt that contains sodium iodide. Both kinds of Salt are equally effective in enhancing the taste of any food, and they have some differences also.
Salt vs Iodized Salt
The main difference between Salt and iodized Salt is that Salt is a mineral that contains sodium and chloride. On the other hand, iodized Salt contains iodine as an additive. Iodized Salt is more beneficial for our health than normal Salt because it contains iodine which can be helpful to prevent iodine deficiency.
Salt, normal Salt, or non-iodized Salt is Salt without iodine in it. It consists of two minerals that are sodium and chloride. Normal Salt contains a high amount of sodium which can create problems like high blood pressure or other health-related problems. Normal salts come straight from the salt deposits and also added some chemicals. Salt has no expiry date. One can use it for a very long time.
Iodized Salt has an added nutrient in it that is iodine. Iodine is a chemical element that all human needs. It is a healthy element and helpful for people with thyroid deficiency. People with high blood pressure should use iodized salt. Iodine deficiency can cause the enlargement of our thyroid gland. Self-life of iodized is nearly five years. This Salt is helpful to maintain a healthy diet and good health.
Comparison Table Between Salt and Iodized Salt
| Parameters of Comparison | Salt | Iodized Salt |
| What is it | A mineral that has sodium and chloride in it. | A form of salt that contains iodine. |
| Additives | Comes straight from the sea and has no additives. | Iodine as an additive agent. |
| Health Benefits | It contains a high amount of sodium and one should limit its intake. | It is healthier than normal salts. |
| Purity | Sometimes have traces of other minerals. | It is pure and refined. |
| Self-life | Doesn’t have any expiry date, it last forever. | About five years. |
What is Salt?
Salt is a natural crystalline mineral composed of sodium chloride or NaCl. Salt has great importance to humans as well as to animal health. It is one of the most essential flavoring agents, and everyone needs it. But the amount of intake should be in control, not too much nor too little.
40% of Salt contains sodium. Our body uses Salt to balance the fluids in the blood and is also an important nutrient to maintain normal blood pressure. Most Americans eat too much Salt, which can damage cardiovascular health and can cause high blood pressure.
Our sales muscles need proper hydration, and we need to maintain a proper hydration level. Salt is necessary to maintain a healthy hydration level of our body. Salt is the essential flavoring agent and also has been used in dyeing, tanning, bleaching industries. It is also used in soap and pottery production.
Too little salt intake can cause fluid retention in our bodies. If the level of sodium in our body decrease, the person may experience symptoms like diarrhea, vomiting, muscle ache, or loss of consciousness. Excessive sodium intake can also cause some other serious health issues.
What is Iodized Salt?
Iodized salt is essential for our body as it contains a small amount of sodium iodide or potassium iodide. The looks and the taste are all the same in both types of salts. Iodized Salt is important for a heart-healthy diet.
There are very minimal quantities of food in which iodine is found. Eggs, dairy products, seafood contains iodine naturally. Consuming this kind of food can also prevent iodine deficiency. Our body cannot make iodine naturally. That’s why we need it.
Iodized Salt has lower health risks, and it is beneficial for our thyroid glands. It helps in the production of the thyroxine hormone. If we take a lesser amount of iodine, then iodine deficiency can happen, and we may face thyroid problems.
Our metabolism is related to the thyroid. It controls our body temperature, blood pressure, and heart rate. Iodized Salt is also essential for our bone health and to keep our weight under control. It also supports a healthy pregnancy and keeps our body hydrated.
Main Differences Between Salt and Iodized Salt
- Normal Salt contains the minerals sodium and chloride. On the other hand, iodized Salt is a kind of salt that contains iodine.
- Iodine is absent in normal Salt. While in iodized Salt, iodine is present.
- Normal Salt lasts forever, but iodized Salt expires in about five years.
- Salt is used in chemical industries as a source of chloride and goes through chemical processing. On the other hand, iodized Salt went through processing, but it was used to overcome the deficiency of iodine.
- Salt can come in different forms like refined Salt or unrefined. On the other hand, iodized Salt is always refined Salt.
- Iodized Salt is more beneficial for our health than normal Salt, which contains sodium and chloride in a high amount. Iodine is important to function our thyroxine hormone production properly, and it controls our blood pressure. While Salt is not preferable for a healthy diet.
Conclusion
Salt is one of the most basic tastemakers, and it supplies the most essential minerals to the human body. And it generally comes from seawater or rock deposit. It contains sodium and chloride. Sodium is well-known for controlling our body fluid balance and also plays a vital role in our nerve and muscle functioning. In normal Salt, iodine is absent. That’s why some manufacturing company adds iodine to Salt.
Salt and iodized Salt are both similar in taste, but their nutritional value is different. Most Americans consume an excessive amount of iodized salt to enhance the taste of their food. Too much salt intake can be dangerous for our overall health sometimes. We should intake it in a balanced manner.
References
- https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD001687/abstract
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmc2481146/