Celtic sea salt is all the rage on TikTok — is it really good for you?
The latest TikTok hack would have you believe the key to better sleep, clearer skin and sustained energy is a mere sprinkle of salt away.
Celtic sea salt, also known as gray salt, is making the rounds on social media, with die-hard fans celebrating the substance for its purported hydrating and healing properties.
The trend gained traction in May when TikToker Abby Baffoe posted a video lauding Celtic sea salt as her “newest favorite beauty secret” — a secret she was all too happy to share with her 933,600 followers.
Baffoe proclaimed, “If you’re not using this s–t, you should be.”
She goes on to claim that Celtic salt contains 80 minerals, and dissolving a piece or two in your mouth before hydrating will help the body absorb water throughout the day, replenishing minerals lost to urination and perspiration, and aiding in digestion.
In a follow-up video posted last month, Baffoe claimed gray salt has anti-inflammatory properties and can relieve migraines, lower blood pressure and improve sleep quality.
But is the hype worth its weight in salt?
Dr. Shivani Amin, a functional medicine physician and host of the “Beyond Symptoms” podcast, told Yahoo Life this week that Celtic sea salt — originally prepared from evaporated seawater from the Celtic Sea, off the coast of France — is in some ways, a cut above its competitors.
“It differs from other salts in that it has a gray hue and, more importantly, because it has higher mineral content,” she explained. “It’s more moist than other salts and is, for the most part, unprocessed, unlike a carton of Morton’s table salt. This minimal processing allows Celtic salt to keep its high mineral content.”
Take the mineral content with a grain of salt, though.
Alex Oskian, a registered dietitian at the nutrition coaching company Working Against Gravity, tells Yahoo that “most elemental breakdowns of Celtic sea salt that are available show 20 elements or less.”
Celtic sea salt is understood to be more beneficial than table salt because it is less processed. On the flip side, the American Heart Association notes that the lack of processing can mean impurities from the ocean, such as lead, may make their way into your shaker or, in the case of Baffoe, a hand-hewn ashwood salt cellar.
Celtic sea salt contains magnesium, potassium, calcium, and trace amounts of iron and zinc. It is lower in sodium than table salt, 1,840 milligrams per teaspoon versus 2,300 mg, with Yahoo pointing out that fewer coarse sea salt flakes fit on a spoon.
Sodium, found in all salts, is a nutrient essential to the cellular functioning of the body. Most Americans are not lacking in the sodium department.
The American Heart Association recommends consuming no more than 2,300 mg of sodium daily — the average American consumes 3,400 mg.
A high sodium diet has been linked to high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes and eczema.
According to San Francisco dietitian Edwina Clark, the TikTok hype and health benefits of Celtic salt are overblown.
“These minerals are only found in very small amounts, and Celtic sea salt cannot be considered a substantial source of any of these nutrients,” she told Yahoo.
Amin adds: “Because the quantities of each mineral in the salt flakes are so small, you likely won’t get the proper amount of minerals to meet the daily mineral requirements through salt alone.”
She maintains that the only notable benefit of Celtic sea salt is maintaining electrolyte balance, as salt increases water absorption.
Experts agree that you can pass on the salt. Following a diet rich in nutrient-dense foods is the best way to sustain energy, optimize health and give your body the minerals it needs.
