Difference Between Saline Vs. Sea Salt

The lack of humidity around the Dead Sea allows salt formations to form rapdily.

Sea salt is more than pure saline. Table salt is considered saline with an iodine additive. Both saline and sea salt contain sodium and chloride, but sea salt is marketed as being healthier because it can be purchased with impurities. Impurities in sea salt include magnesium, potassium, iron and other various minerals depending on the area the salt is harvested. Sea salt is produced through the evaporation of saltwater, which leaves various minerals from the water source in the salt. Table salt is mined and processed removing minerals and other impurities.

Saline versus Sea Salt

Saline is a liquid salt solution.

Saline is a liquid solution of sodium chloride and water. Commercial saline used in saline drips contains 0.9 percent sodium chloride. Table salt contains 97 to 99 percent sodium chloride. Table salt is refined salt, and sea salt is unrefined. Each grain of sea salt contains one part sodium and one part chloride. Salt is salt, whether it is saline or sea salt. The difference between saline and sea salt is the chemical composition of the impurities in each. Saline has no impurities because it is made with refined salt and sterile water. Sea salt is unrefined and is categorized by its impurities.

Sea Salt

Sea salt is healthy for the body inside and out.

Sea salt is a term encompassing all unrefined salt coming from salt water. Sea water is housed in vats to evaporate by the wind and sun, leaving behind sodium chloride. Sea salt is sold unrefined because the natural traces of minerals and deposits are viewed as acceptable healthy supplements for human consumption. Natural traces of iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, zinc and potassium are viewed as needed dietary supplements. The most common sources of sea salt are the Mediterranean Sea, the North Sea, and the Atlantic Ocean. Unlike saline, sea salt comes in various sizes categorized as coarse, fine, flake and extra fine.

Benefits

The use of salt for medicinal purposes is not new. The health benefits of salt were known by the ancient Greeks 2000 years ago. New medical studies have concluded there are no significant benefits to low-sodium diets. Eating a salty diet affects your bodily function in the areas of digestion and excretion. Hippocrates in 460 BC used salt as a medicine. Today, salt is used as an anti-inflammatory for respiratory flare ups.

Sea Water

Sea salt comes from a natural body of water. Typically it is believed sea salt comes from the ocean or sea, but some sea salt comes from lakes. The Dead Sea, for instance, is actually a lake. Ocean water is more saline than sea salt. The lower temperatures of ocean water keep salt from forming rapidly, allowing ocean water to remain more of a saline solution.

References

• Katherine Zeratsky: Is sea salt better for your health than table salt?
• Difference Between: Sea vs. Lake
• Brainz: What is Saline Solution?

Resources

• NSIDC: All About Sea Ice
• Salt Works: Sea Salt & Gourmet Salts - Guide
• Shirleys-Wellness-Café: Salt Deficiency: The Cause Of Many Serious Diseases