Q. Is sea salt healthier than table salt?

A. Believe it or not, sea salt and table salt are nutritionally similar. The main differences are in taste and texture. Since sea salt is usually more expensive than table salt, it is worth mentioning that it loses its unique flavor when cooked or dissolved. Still, when used at the table, or at the end of the cooking time, you may prefer its subtle flavor and crunchy texture.

Both sea salt and table salt contain about the same amount of sodium by weight. However, sea salt is lower in sodium by volume because the shape of its crystals make it less compact than the fine crystals in table salt. The coarser the grind, the more air spaces between the crystals, resulting in less salt on your spoon. In other words, a pinch of sea salt will give you less sodium than a pinch of table salt.

Sea salt is harvested through the evaporation of seawater. Table salt is usually mined from underground salt deposits. Both salts are refined into sodium chloride. Some folks claim sea salt has more minerals than table salt, however the amounts are too small to make a nutritional difference.

Table salt often contains added iodine, while sea salt does not. Iodine keeps our thyroid gland functioning normally. Since iodine is found in dairy products, seafood, and many processed foods, chances are you can get enough of it without using table salt.

Sea salt may clump up because it rarely contains the anti-caking agents that are added to table salt. If you plan to keep sea salt in a shaker, add some uncooked rice in as well to prevent clumping. With our humid climate in Hawai'i, you may even need to do this with table salt.

Sea salt is good to use for preserving meats because its large crystals draw moisture out of foods more effectively than other salts. This is why Hawaiian salt, a type of sea salt, is often used for making such local favorites as lomi salmon and kalua pig.

Whatever kind of salt you use, go easy. Too much of any type of salt can lead to high blood pressure, strokes, and kidney disease. The advantage with sea salt is that you may be able to achieve the desired flavor with a smaller amount.