Himalayan Pink Salt vs Sea Salt: A Flavor Guide

Written By Santa Prisca & Co Staff Last updated onOctober 27, 2025

Just as a wine tastes of the soil and sun that grew the grapes, a pure salt tastes of the place it came from. This idea of "terroir" is the key to understanding the beautiful diversity in the world of salt. It’s also the most important factor in the discussion of Himalayan pink salt vs sea salt in cooking. One carries the quiet, mineral essence of a 250-million-year-old seabed, while the other offers the bright, briny complexity of the living ocean. Learning to distinguish between these two stories will make you a more intuitive cook, helping you choose the perfect salt to make your ingredients truly sing.

Key Takeaways

Choose Salt Based on Its Story and Purity: Unrefined salts, like hand-harvested sea salt, retain their natural mineral complexity, offering a cleaner and more nuanced flavor than heavily processed table salt.
Master the Art of Seasoning with Texture: Use fine-grain salt to build foundational flavor within a dish, and save coarse, flaky salts for finishing. That final sprinkle adds a delightful crunch and a concentrated burst of clean salinity.
Seasoning Can Be an Act of Wellness: A pure, unrefined sea salt provides essential trace minerals that help your body with hydration. It’s a simple way to nourish yourself while avoiding the anti-caking agents and additives common in industrial salt.

The Story of Salt: From Ancient Earth to Your Kitchen

Every pinch of salt holds a story. It’s a mineral that has shaped civilizations and seasoned our most cherished meals. But the journey from its origin to your kitchen defines its character, flavor, and connection to the earth. Understanding this story helps us cook with more intention, appreciating the subtle differences that make a simple ingredient extraordinary. From ancient, buried oceans to sun-drenched coastlines, the tale of salt is one of time, place, and human touch.

Ancient Seabeds vs. Modern Seawater

When we talk about salt, we’re often picturing two different origins. Some salts, like Himalayan, are mined from ancient deposits—remnants of primordial seas trapped deep within the earth. This salt is a time capsule. In contrast, sea salt is a living product of our planet’s oceans. It is derived from evaporated seawater, its character shaped by the specific waters it came from. This means its mineral content and flavor can vary beautifully, reflecting the unique terroir of its coastal home.

How Traditional Harvesting Protects Flavor

How salt is gathered has a profound impact on its final form. Industrial harvesting often involves harsh processing that strips away delicate trace minerals. But traditional methods honor the salt’s integrity. Our Colima Sea Salt is hand-harvested from volcanic salt flats, a gentle process passed down through generations. This careful collection ensures that the natural minerals and flavors are preserved. By working with the sun and seasons, artisans protect the salt’s complex structure, resulting in a crisp, mineral-rich flake with a clean, bright flavor.

Choosing Salt That's Kind to the Earth

The story of salt also includes the people who gather it and the land that provides it. Choosing a salt is an opportunity to support practices that are gentle on the earth. We prioritize sustainability, working directly with local salt farmers to support fair wages and eco-friendly harvesting. This conscious partnership ensures that the ancient salt flats of Colima can continue to thrive for generations to come. When you choose a salt with a transparent story, you’re not just seasoning your food—you’re becoming part of a cycle of respect for tradition and the planet.

What's Really in Your Salt?

Have you ever paused to consider the journey your salt took to get to your kitchen? Not all salt is created equal, and its story—from its origin to its processing—is written in every crystal. Understanding what’s really in your salt shaker can transform not just your cooking, but your connection to your food. It’s about moving beyond a simple seasoning and embracing an ingredient with a rich history and a vibrant, mineral-rich character. Let's explore what truly sets a quality salt apart.

How Salt Crystals Form

Every salt crystal begins as a gift from water, but its path to your table can be wildly different. Himalayan pink salt is a relic of ancient history, mined from salt deposits formed over 250 million years ago when primordial seas evaporated. Trapped deep within the earth, it’s a time capsule of an ancient, pristine ocean.

Sea salt, on the other hand, is a product of our living oceans. It’s harvested from evaporated seawater, a dynamic process powered by the sun and wind. This method connects the salt directly to its environment, capturing the unique essence of the water it came from. One is a story of ancient earth, the other of the modern sea.

The Minerals That Matter

The color and flavor of salt come from its unique mineral composition. Himalayan salt’s beautiful pink hue is thanks to its rich profile of over 80 trace minerals, including iron, magnesium, and calcium. These elements were locked into the salt crystals millions of years ago.

The mineral content of sea salt is a direct reflection of the body of water it was harvested from. Just as wine has terroir, so does salt. A high-quality sea salt contains a beautiful spectrum of trace minerals like magnesium, calcium, and potassium, which contribute to its complex flavor and moisture. This is why no two sea salts taste exactly alike—each one tells the story of its home.

Why Unrefined Processing Is Better

The way salt is handled after harvesting makes all the difference. Unrefined salt is processed minimally, often just hand-harvested, cleaned, and allowed to dry. This gentle approach ensures that the salt’s natural mineral complexity and unique flavor profile remain intact. It’s salt in its purest, most authentic form.

In contrast, many commercial salts undergo heavy industrial processing. This can strip away their beneficial minerals, leaving behind little more than pure sodium chloride. Often, anti-caking agents and other additives are mixed in. Choosing unrefined salt means you’re getting a whole, unadulterated ingredient, just as nature intended.

What Defines a High-Quality Salt?

A truly high-quality salt is defined by three things: minimal processing, a rich natural mineral content, and a transparent origin. It should taste of the place it came from. When you choose a salt like this, you’re not just seasoning your food—you’re adding a layer of character and history to every dish.

Our hand-harvested Colima Sea Salt is a perfect example of this philosophy. Sourced from the pure salt flats of Colima, Mexico, it’s unrefined and free from additives, allowing its crisp, mineral-forward flavor to shine. This is the kind of salt that invites you to slow down, cook with intention, and truly savor every bite.

Why Every Salt Tastes Different

Have you ever noticed how one salt can make a dish sing, while another just adds a flat, one-note saltiness? The truth is, not all salt is created equal. Each crystal carries the story of its origin—the ancient sea it came from, the earth that filtered it, and the hands that harvested it. This journey is what gives every salt its unique personality, a combination of flavor, texture, and color that can transform your cooking from simple to soulful.

Exploring Unique Flavor Profiles

The taste of a salt is a direct reflection of its home. Himalayan pink salt, mined from ancient seabeds, often has a milder, slightly sweet flavor—a gentle whisper from a long-gone ocean. True sea salt, on the other hand, tastes of the living water it was born from. It can have a bright, briny complexity that lingers on the tongue, carrying subtle notes of the minerals in the water. Our own Colima Sea Salt offers a clean, crisp flavor with a burst of mineral depth, a taste that is both pure and profound.

The Importance of Texture and Grain

Beyond taste, the physical form of salt is essential to the cooking experience. The size and shape of the crystals dictate how they dissolve and interact with food. A fine-grain salt will melt away instantly, seasoning from within, perfect for soups and sauces. But a larger, flakier crystal, like those found in a good finishing salt, provides a delightful crunch and a concentrated pop of flavor when sprinkled over a dish just before serving. This textural contrast is a simple way to add another layer of intention and sensory pleasure to your meal.

A Spectrum of Natural Color

The beautiful colors found in unrefined salts are a testament to their purity and mineral content. Himalayan salt gets its famous rosy hue from traces of iron oxide and other elements. Sea salt’s natural color can range from brilliant white to soft gray or even pink, depending on the clay, algae, and minerals present in the water it came from. These colors are a visual promise that the salt is untouched by artificial processing, offering a spectrum of natural beauty straight from the earth to your kitchen.

How Minerals Influence Taste and Wellness

The minerals that create a salt’s unique color and texture are the very same ones that define its flavor and contribute to its wellness benefits. Himalayan salt contains dozens of trace minerals, including iron and zinc. A high-quality sea salt is often rich in magnesium, calcium, and potassium, which can soften its salty edge and add a more nuanced taste. These essential elements not only create a more complex flavor profile but also help support our body’s natural balance, making each pinch a small act of nourishment. When you choose a salt, you’re choosing a unique mineral signature.

How to Cook with Artisan Salt

Cooking with artisan salt is an invitation to slow down and connect with your ingredients. It’s a departure from the mindless shake of a generic dispenser. When you use a salt that has been carefully harvested, retaining its natural character and mineral complexity, you’re not just seasoning—you’re adding a layer of story and intention to your dish. Each crystal carries the essence of its origin, whether it’s an ancient, sun-drenched seabed or a pristine coastline.

Understanding how to work with these salts can transform your cooking from routine to ritual. It’s about recognizing that a coarse, flaky sea salt offers a different experience than a fine, mineral-rich pink salt. One might be perfect for drawing moisture out of a steak to create a perfect crust, while the other might be just the thing to sprinkle over a finished salad for a delicate crunch and a whisper of flavor. This section is a guide to help you explore these nuances. We’ll look at how heat interacts with salt, how to season with purpose, and how to choose the right salt for every step of the cooking process, from marinating to the final, artful flourish.

How Heat Affects Salt's Flavor

Heat doesn’t just cook your food; it changes the way flavors are expressed, and salt is no exception. When you add salt at the beginning of cooking, like when sautéing onions or searing meat, it has time to dissolve completely and meld with the other ingredients, creating a deep, foundational savoriness. A versatile sea salt with a clean, bright profile is wonderful for this. In contrast, salts with more delicate notes, like the slightly sweet flavor of some pink salts, can have their subtleties muted by high, prolonged heat. Think of it as a conversation: some flavors are meant to be part of the foundational dialogue, while others are best introduced at the end to make a final, distinct statement.

Seasoning with Intention

Seasoning with intention means tasting as you go and understanding what each pinch of salt contributes. It’s about moving beyond the idea of salt as a simple flavor enhancer and seeing it as an ingredient in its own right. A true sea salt often has a brinier, more complex flavor that can stand up to robust dishes, while the milder profile of Himalayan salt lends itself to more delicate foods. Before you season, pause. Consider the dish. Is it a hearty stew that needs a salt with backbone? Or is it a light vegetable soup that requires a gentler touch? By choosing your salt with the same care you choose your herbs and spices, you bring a deeper level of mindfulness to your kitchen.

Perfecting Your Brines and Marinades

Brines and marinades are where unrefined, mineral-rich salts truly shine. Their complex structure does more than just add salinity; it helps to tenderize proteins and infuse them with deep, resonant flavor. The trace minerals found in salts like our Colima Sea Salt contribute to a more nuanced taste that you simply won't get from processed table salt. When preparing a brine or marinade, the size of the salt crystal matters. Coarser salts dissolve more slowly and have more volume than finer salts. Because of this, you may need to adjust amounts due to differences in crystal size to achieve the perfect balance, ensuring your food is beautifully seasoned but not overly salty.

The Art of the Finishing Salt

The final sprinkle of salt just before serving is a moment of culinary magic. This is where texture and visual appeal come into play. A finishing salt isn’t meant to dissolve and disappear; it’s meant to be seen and felt, providing a delightful crunch and a concentrated burst of flavor that awakens the palate. Flaky sea salts are exceptional for this, as their delicate, pyramid-like crystals collapse on the tongue. While Himalayan salt is often used as a specialty salt for finishing, the crisp, clean flake of a hand-harvested sea salt can add a bright, mineral finish to everything from a chocolate avocado mousse to a simple slice of ripe tomato. It’s the final touch that shows care and transforms a simple meal into something special.

Secrets from a Professional Kitchen

In a professional kitchen, salt is more than just a seasoning—it’s a tool. Chefs understand that the right salt, used with intention, can completely transform a dish. It’s not about complicated techniques, but about a deeper awareness of how this essential mineral works. Bringing this mindset into your own kitchen is simple. It starts with understanding the character of your salt, from its texture to its taste, and learning how to let its unique qualities shine. These are the small adjustments that make a world of difference, turning a good meal into a truly memorable one.

How to Measure and Substitute Salts

Have you ever followed a recipe perfectly, only to find it too salty or not salty enough? The culprit is often the salt itself. The most important difference between salts is the size and shape of their crystals. A teaspoon of fine-grained table salt contains much more salt than a teaspoon of coarse, flaky sea salt. The larger crystals of an artisan salt like our Colima Sea Salt take up more space, so you get less sodium and a more delicate flavor in every pinch. When substituting one salt for another, it’s best to use a little less than the recipe calls for and taste as you go. This practice of intentional seasoning helps you connect with your cooking and ensures a perfectly balanced dish every time.

Keep Your Salt Fresh and Flavorful

A beautiful, unrefined sea salt deserves to be cared for. Its complex mineral notes and crisp texture are what set it apart, and proper storage is key to preserving these qualities. Moisture is the enemy of good salt, causing it to clump and lose its delicate crunch. To keep your salt at its best, store it in a cool, dry place away from the steam of the stove. A simple wooden salt cellar or a sealed glass jar works perfectly. This small ritual not only protects your salt but also honors the journey it took from a pristine salt flat to your kitchen, ensuring every pinch is as fresh and flavorful as the last.

Beyond the Pinch: Specialty Uses

Think of artisan salt as an ingredient in its own right. Its use extends far beyond a final sprinkle. The firm, mineral-rich crystals of a quality sea salt are perfect for creating a salt crust on a whole fish or a thick-cut vegetable, sealing in moisture for a tender, succulent result. You can also use it to create flavorful brines and marinades that tenderize proteins while infusing them with a subtle, clean salinity. Using salt in these specialty applications allows you to layer flavors in a more thoughtful way. It’s an invitation to experiment and discover how a single, pure ingredient can add depth and character to your cooking.

An Introduction to Salt Block Cooking

Cooking on a block of pure salt is a beautiful way to connect with your food. These dense, crystalline blocks, often made from Himalayan salt, can be heated or chilled to extreme temperatures. When you gently heat a salt block on the stove or grill, it transforms into a sizzling cooking surface that seasons food evenly as it cooks. Imagine the gentle sear on fresh scallops or thin slices of zucchini, each piece picking up a whisper of saltiness. Chilled, the block becomes a stunning platter for serving sushi, cheeses, or fresh fruit, adding a delicate mineral finish that enhances their natural flavors. It’s a technique that brings both flavor and a sense of ceremony to the table.

How to Choose the Right Salt for Your Dish

Choosing the right salt is an act of intention. It’s less about following a rigid rule and more about listening to your ingredients and understanding what they need. Just as you might select a specific herb to complement a dish, the salt you use can either flatten its flavor or make it sing. Think of your salt cellar as a small library of minerals and textures, each with its own story and purpose. A coarse, crunchy flake might be perfect for finishing a steak, while a finer grain dissolves beautifully into a delicate sauce.

The journey from a novice cook to an intuitive one often begins with paying attention to these small details. It starts with noticing how a briny, mineral-rich sea salt can brighten a simple tomato salad, or how a milder salt can gently season a baked good without overpowering it. There is no single “best” salt—only the best salt for the moment. By exploring different types, you’ll begin to develop a palate for their subtle differences and learn how to use them to bring depth, texture, and a touch of the earth or sea to everything you create in your kitchen.

When to Reach for Himalayan Pink Salt

Himalayan pink salt carries the story of ancient, landlocked seabeds. Its signature rosy hue and crystalline structure make it a beautiful finishing salt. With a characteristically mild and sometimes slightly sweet flavor, it’s a gentle choice that won’t overwhelm your food.

Many people love to sprinkle its coarse grains over grilled meats, roasted vegetables, or even chocolatey desserts right before serving. The larger crystals provide a satisfying crunch and a subtle burst of salinity. While it’s a lovely salt to have on hand, its gentle flavor profile makes it more of a final touch than a foundational seasoning for building complex flavors during the cooking process.

When to Use a True Sea Salt

A true, unrefined sea salt tastes of the ocean it came from—clean, bright, and brimming with minerals. Unlike the mildness of Himalayan salt, a hand-harvested sea salt offers a more assertive and complex flavor that can season a dish from the inside out. Its versatility is its greatest strength. Use it to salt your pasta water, season a soup, or draw moisture from vegetables.

The unique flake structure of a salt like our Colima Sea Salt dissolves evenly on the tongue, delivering a burst of mineral depth without a harsh, chemical bite. This makes it an exceptional choice for both cooking and finishing, capable of enhancing the natural flavors of your ingredients without masking them. It’s the kind of salt you’ll reach for day after day.

Why Sourcing and Sustainability Matter

The story behind your salt is just as important as its flavor. When you choose a salt that is harvested with care, you’re honoring the hands that gathered it and the environment that created it. Ethical and sustainable practices ensure that the natural ecosystem is preserved and that local communities are supported through fair wages and respectful partnerships.

This connection adds a layer of meaning to your cooking. Knowing your salt was hand-harvested using traditional methods passed down through generations infuses every pinch with a sense of gratitude. It transforms a simple seasoning into a conscious choice—one that supports both personal wellness and the health of our planet. When you shop for ingredients, you are voting with your wallet for the world you want to live in.

Investing in a Quality Salt

Moving from a standard table salt to a high-quality, unrefined salt is one of the simplest yet most profound changes you can make in your kitchen. A premium salt is more than just sodium chloride; it’s a complex blend of trace minerals that contribute to both its flavor and its nutritional value. This mineral profile is what gives a hand-harvested sea salt its unique character and depth.

Think of it as an investment in every meal you prepare. A quality salt brings a new dimension to simple ingredients, turning a humble vegetable into something extraordinary. It provides a clean, nuanced salinity that enhances food, rather than just making it taste salty. Once you experience the difference, you’ll understand that a truly great salt is a foundational element of intentional cooking.

More Than Flavor: The Wellness Benefits of Salt

Salt is more than just a seasoning; it’s a fundamental element of life. When we choose salt with intention, we’re not only deepening the flavor of our food but also connecting with an ancient source of nourishment. For centuries, salt was a revered commodity, valued for its ability to preserve food and sustain health. It’s only in recent times that we’ve seen the rise of highly processed table salt, stripped of its natural mineral complexity and often treated with anti-caking agents and other additives.

Moving beyond this industrial standard opens up a world where seasoning becomes an act of wellness. It’s about honoring our bodies with the minerals of the earth and appreciating the subtle, yet profound, differences between salts harvested with care. This shift in perspective invites us to see salt not as a simple commodity, but as a vital ingredient that carries the story of its origin—from ancient seabeds to sun-drenched salt flats. A pure, unrefined salt offers a taste of place, a connection to the natural forces that created it. Embracing this philosophy is a small change in the kitchen that can create a meaningful connection to our food, our health, and the planet. It’s about rediscovering salt for what it truly is: a life-sustaining mineral that, in its purest form, supports our well-being from the inside out.

Discover the Essential Minerals in Unrefined Salt

Unlike refined table salt, which is little more than sodium chloride, unrefined salts carry the mineral signature of their origin. Think of the beautiful color of Himalayan salt, which comes from trace minerals like iron and zinc. In the same way, a hand-harvested sea salt like our Colima Sea Salt retains a wealth of minerals from the ocean, filtered naturally through volcanic earth. These elements contribute not just to a more complex flavor but also offer a subtle mineral infusion that processed salts lack. The larger, more irregular crystals also mean there's often less sodium by volume in each pinch, inviting a more mindful approach to seasoning.

How Salt Supports Proper Hydration

We often hear about drinking enough water, but true hydration is about balance. Our bodies rely on electrolytes—minerals like sodium, potassium, and magnesium—to maintain proper fluid levels, support nerve impulses, and allow our muscles to function correctly. A pinch of mineral-rich sea salt in your water or a well-seasoned meal helps your body absorb and retain hydration more effectively. It’s a simple, foundational way to support your body’s natural energy and rhythm, turning a basic biological need into a moment of intentional care.

A Staple for Clean Eating

Choosing ingredients that are as close to their natural state as possible is a cornerstone of clean eating. Unrefined sea salt is a perfect example. It’s free from the anti-caking agents, bleaching residues, and other additives found in common table salt. Instead, you get pure, unadulterated salt, exactly as nature created it. This simple switch is one of the easiest ways to remove unnecessary chemicals from your pantry and embrace whole, unprocessed foods. When you season with a pure sea salt, you’re tasting the ocean and the earth, not a factory. Explore our collection of all-natural salts to see the difference for yourself.

Embrace Salt's Natural Qualities

There is a quiet beauty in the imperfection of a natural salt crystal. Each flake is unique, a testament to its journey from ancient sea to your kitchen. Whether it’s hand-harvested from pristine salt flats or mined from deep within the earth, unrefined salt is a product of minimal human touch. This gentle process preserves the salt’s integrity, texture, and mineral content. Holding a few crystals in your palm, you can feel their delicate structure and appreciate the slow, patient process of evaporation and crystallization that formed them. It’s a reminder to slow down and savor the simple, powerful gifts from the natural world.

A Simple Guide to Pairing Salt with Food

Think of salt not just as a seasoning, but as an ingredient with its own story and character. Just as you’d choose a specific olive oil for its peppery notes or a particular vinegar for its bright acidity, the right salt can completely transform a dish. Pairing salt with food is an intuitive art that begins with understanding its unique personality—its texture, mineral content, and flavor profile. Let’s explore how to match the perfect salt to any meal, creating moments of intentional flavor.

Ingredients That Shine with the Right Salt

Certain ingredients have a natural affinity for specific salts. A salt with a milder, slightly sweet profile, like many pink salts, can be a beautiful final touch on delicate dishes where you want just a whisper of flavor. Think fresh greens, sliced fruit, or a simple piece of poached fish.

On the other hand, a true sea salt offers a clean, bright salinity that enhances the inherent flavors of food without overpowering them. The balanced mineral depth of our Colima Sea Salt makes it incredibly versatile. It draws out the sweetness of roasted vegetables, deepens the savory notes in a slow-cooked broth, and brings a simple avocado toast to life.

Match Your Salt to Global Cuisines

Salt is a global ingredient, and its origins can often guide its best use. The subtle flavor of Himalayan pink salt lends itself well to lighter fare, like fresh salads or delicate seafood preparations found in some Asian and Scandinavian cuisines.

A more robust sea salt, however, feels right at home in heartier global dishes. Its crisp flavor can stand up to the bold spices in Mediterranean and Latin American cooking, from grilled meats and rustic stews to vibrant salsas. The clean taste of Colima Sea Salt, born from the traditions of Mexico, naturally complements its native cuisine but is versatile enough to find a home in kitchens around the world. Explore our full collection to find the perfect foundation for your culinary adventures.

Seasoning Through the Seasons

Cooking with the seasons is a beautiful way to connect with the rhythm of the earth, and your salt can follow that same rhythm. In the spring and summer, when produce is fresh and delicate, a lighter touch is often best. A fine-grain sea salt can gently season fresh herbs, sweet corn, and juicy tomatoes without masking their vibrant flavors.

As we move into the cooler months of fall and winter, our cooking becomes richer and heartier. This is when a more robust sea salt truly shines. Its pronounced flavor and satisfying texture can elevate roasted root vegetables, savory braises, and crusty baked breads, adding a layer of mineral complexity that warms from the inside out.

Techniques for Enhancing Natural Flavors

How and when you add salt can dramatically change its effect on your food. Using a fine-grain sea salt during the cooking process helps to draw out moisture and meld flavors together from within. It becomes part of the dish’s foundation, building a deep, cohesive taste.

A finishing salt, however, is all about texture and that final burst of flavor. Sprinkling a coarse, flaky sea salt over a dish just before serving adds a delightful crunch and a pop of clean salinity that awakens the palate. The real difference lies in the crystal structure; a delicate flake dissolves perfectly on the tongue. Try scattering our Colima Sea Salt over a finished steak, a chocolate tart, or even a simple sliced apple to experience this beautiful transformation.

Frequently Asked Questions

If I can only buy one high-quality salt, which one should I get? For everyday cooking, I always recommend a versatile, unrefined sea salt. While pink salt is beautiful for finishing, a true sea salt has a clean, complex flavor that works just as well for seasoning a soup from the start as it does for sprinkling over a salad at the end. It’s the perfect all-around workhorse for an intentional kitchen.

What's the main difference between Himalayan pink salt and a good sea salt? Think of it as a story of origin. Himalayan salt comes from ancient, landlocked salt beds and tends to have a milder, more gentle flavor. A hand-harvested sea salt is a product of our living oceans, giving it a brighter, brinier taste that reflects the water it came from. One is a taste of ancient earth, the other is a taste of the vibrant sea.

Why does the texture of my salt matter so much? Texture is all about how the salt interacts with your food. A fine-grain salt dissolves quickly, seasoning a dish from the inside out. A larger, flakier crystal, however, is meant to be a final touch. It provides a satisfying crunch and a concentrated pop of flavor that adds another sensory layer to the experience of eating.

How do I substitute artisan salt for regular table salt in my recipes? Because artisan salt crystals are larger and less dense, they take up more space than fine table salt. A teaspoon of flaky sea salt contains much less sodium than a teaspoon of the granulated stuff. As a rule of thumb, start with a little less than the recipe calls for, and then taste and adjust as you go.

Is unrefined salt actually better for me? Choosing an unrefined salt is less about a dramatic health claim and more about choosing a whole, pure ingredient. You get the benefit of naturally occurring trace minerals that are stripped away during industrial processing. More importantly, you avoid the anti-caking agents and other additives often found in common table salt, which is a simple and powerful choice for clean eating.