We live in a world where active management is required to address our personal toxin load. From environmental pollutants to common toxins found in food and everyday household products, striving for a low-toxicity life can quickly become overwhelming.
While understanding this reality can help us make better-informed decisions for empowering our health, it’s essential to accept that there are risks and rewards with everything. And as we are all so different in terms of health history and personal needs, it often comes down to personal preferences, tolerances, and what decisions support us holistically in terms of the mind and body.
One ongoing discussion that frequently resurfaces is the concern over salt and heavy metals. There is a lot of noise throughout the wellness community touting which salt options and brands are the most beneficial and which ones are problematic. Despite these often black-and-white claims, there is nuance that’s important for each of us to consider on a personal basis.
Let’s examine the differences between refined and unrefined salt, whether salt contains heavy metals, and whether certain options should be prioritized.
The Background on Salt
Salt, primarily composed of sodium chloride, has been a vital component of human diets for thousands of years. Historically, salt was so valuable that it was used as a form of currency and played a crucial role in food preservation before the invention of refrigeration. The essential nature of salt in the human diet stems from its role in various physiological processes critical to maintaining health.
Sodium, one of the primary components of salt, is essential for maintaining fluid balance, transmitting nerve impulses, and ensuring proper muscle function, including the regulation of heartbeat. It also plays a role in the absorption of nutrients in the small intestine. Chloride, the other component, is crucial for producing stomach acid, which aids in digestion.
However, proper salt consumption is critical. Underconsuming salt can lead to hyponatremia, a condition where sodium levels in the blood become dangerously low, causing symptoms such as headaches, nausea, fatigue, and, in severe cases, seizures and coma. Overconsuming salt can lead to hypernatremia, characterized by high sodium blood serum levels above 145 mmol/L, but it’s actually harder to overconsume salt than you may think.
Low-Carb Diets and Salt
Low-carb diets, such as the ketogenic (keto) and carnivore diets, require careful attention to salt intake due to the body’s altered metabolic processes when carbohydrate consumption is significantly reduced.
In diets that include moderate to high levels of carbs, insulin levels are typically higher, which helps the kidneys retain sodium. However, when carb intake is drastically lowered, insulin levels drop, leading to increased sodium excretion by the kidneys.
This results in a higher need for sodium to maintain electrolyte balance, prevent dehydration, and avoid temporary symptoms during the transition, such as fatigue, headaches, and muscle cramps, often referred to as the “keto flu.”
For those on a carnivore diet, the focus on salt becomes even more pronounced. Since the diet is composed almost entirely of animal foods, which are naturally low in sodium, individuals generally must be proactive about their salt intake.
Additionally, because the carnivore diet eliminates all plant-based foods, which can be a source of hidden sodium in processed forms, the need for high-quality salt as a primary source of sodium is crucial. Adequate salt intake is essential to support the body’s hydration, nerve function, and muscle activity, ensuring that individuals on these diets maintain optimal health and avoid potential complications associated with electrolyte imbalances.
The quality of salt—such as unrefined sea salt or mineral-rich salts—can provide trace minerals that support overall well-being, making it a critical component of a well-rounded carnivore diet. However, we’ll touch on this nuance more later.
Some individuals following a carnivore diet remove all salt to reduce symptoms such as high blood pressure, but we don’t find that to be the general norm. Of course, we always believe in personalized approaches and finding what works best for you.
The Misconception Behind Overconsuming Salt
There is a common misconception that overconsuming salt is inherently dangerous, particularly in relation to high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. This belief is largely based on epidemiological studies that have shown a correlation between high salt intake and these health issues.
However, these studies often fail to account for confounding factors, such as the consumption of processed foods rich in refined carbohydrates and unhealthy fats. When we critically examine the data, it becomes clear that salt is often wrongly blamed for the health issues that are actually caused by these processed foods.
In fact, individuals who follow low-carb diets often find that increasing their salt intake does not lead to elevated blood pressure or cardiovascular risks. As a result of lowered carb intake, many individuals need to consume more salt to maintain proper electrolyte balance and avoid symptoms.
Emerging research in addition to our clinical practice has shown that when salt is consumed in the context of a whole-food diet—one that excludes processed carbs and foods—there is no evidence that it causes the health problems often attributed to it. Instead, it supports hydration, nerve function, and overall metabolic health.
For those concerned about salt intake, especially within a low-carb or carnivore diet, it can be helpful to understand the different qualities of salt and to distinguish differences between unrefined and refined salts.
You can read more about the misconceptions of limiting salt consumption here.
Unrefined Salt vs. Refined Salt
The distinction between unrefined and refined salt lies primarily in their processing methods and mineral content. Refined salt, often known as table salt, undergoes extensive processing where impurities and trace minerals are removed. This process typically involves bleaching and the addition of anti-caking agents to ensure the salt remains free-flowing.
The result is a highly purified sodium chloride product, which may also have added iodine to prevent iodine deficiency. While refined salt is widely available and affordable, its heavy processing removes the beneficial trace minerals found in its natural state.Additionally, the additives used in refining can be a concern for many individuals, especially for those sensitive to synthetic chemicals. Anti-caking agents and artificial fillers added to table salt can include harmful additives and even sugar (dextrose).
On the other hand, unrefined salt, such as sea salt, Himalayan pink salt, or Celtic sea salt, is minimally processed and retains its natural mineral content. These salts are harvested through the evaporation of seawater or from ancient salt deposits, leaving behind a rich array of trace minerals such as magnesium, potassium, and calcium.
These minerals contribute to the flavor of the salt and also offer potential health benefits, supporting electrolyte balance and overall wellness. The presence of these trace minerals is one of the primary reasons why unrefined salt is often considered superior to refined salt. Additionally, unrefined salts are free from the additives found in table salt, making them a more natural option.
However, a common concern regarding unrefined salt is the potential presence of heavy metals and other contaminants, particularly in sea salt. As the oceans have become more polluted, there’s a risk that trace amounts of heavy metals, such as lead or mercury, could be present in sea salt.
While the levels are generally low, this concern has led some people to question the safety of unrefined salts. It’s important to note that reputable salt producers often do third-party testing for contaminants to ensure their products are safe for consumption.
Despite these concerns, many health experts argue that the benefits of the trace minerals in unrefined salt outweigh the potential risks. We will explore our thoughts on the topic of heavy metal content in unrefined salts more thoroughly later on.
Popular Salts and Heavy Metal Concerns
In the Carnivore community, there are a few popular salt products and brands that are both often celebrated yet also frequently scrutinized for potential heavy metal concerns. As our patients and clients have voiced these concerns to us, we did some further digging and are providing our research below.
Redmond Real Salt
Redmond Real Salt is a very popular unrefined mineral salt mined from an ancient seabed in central Utah.
Redmond has provided detailed information regarding the mineral content and potential heavy metals in their products through testing. According to their reports, the mineral analyses conducted by third-party laboratories over the years show that out of the 65 minerals present in their salt, only a few are heavy metals, and these are typically in trace amounts and bound to other elements, which they argue makes them safer.
While they acknowledge the occasional presence of lead, they emphasize that the levels are low. For example, the highest recorded amount of lead in their salt (according to their reports) is 200 parts per billion (ppb). To put this into perspective, a person consuming 6 grams of salt per day would only ingest 1.2 micrograms of lead, far less than what one might ingest from drinking water containing even the lowest levels of lead deemed acceptable by health guidelines.
Despite these reassurances, Redmond has faced scrutiny, particularly in reports such as those from Mamavation and Lead Safe Mama. Mamavation’s testing found relatively high levels of aluminum and other heavy metals in Redmond Real Salt, with lead content recorded at 252.246 ppb. Lead Safe Mama’s findings also placed Redmond’s lead content at 167 ppb, categorizing it as moderately unsafe. These findings have sparked concerns, although Redmond has defended their product by stating that their salts are generally safe within typical consumption levels and that their processing equipment does not contain any lead.
Redmond does not carry a Prop 65 warning label on their salt products but does on other clay products. Since Prop 65 adherence isn’t based on test results and there are avenues available for avoiding compliance and subsequent labels, this does not in itself guarantee safe levels of heavy metals.
Despite some of these mixed reports, Redmond maintains that their salt is safe for regular use, with trace heavy metals present only in negligible amounts. The Elemental Analysis provided on their website doesn’t cite which third-party labs this summarizing data is collected from so we were unable to follow up and confirm with the lab.
An article from a wellness writer includes a direct 2024 response from Redmond regarding this topic, stating:
“These sorts of attention-grabbing posts and blogs are always concerning, but the science and chemistry are a lot more complicated than any single post. Because we live on the planet Earth, and because the Earth is made of elements, there will be trace amounts of Earth-based elements in everything Earth-related. And fortunately, our bodies have the ability to deal with these elements in trace amounts as they are found in all food and water (as shown in the test).
It should also be noted that when looking at trace and ultra-trace amounts on a single elemental assay, the amounts change due to testing sensitivity as well as natural variation. With our testing over the last 30 years, sometimes an element like lead will show up, other times it won’t. And the amounts detected can change.
Because of this, on our published analysis on these elements list the highest amount we have ever found, and then add a few more, with a “less than” symbol. That is just to make sure if anyone else ever does a test, their test will be less than ours. So, a single test like the one they referenced with 78% showing aluminum and 98% show lead, would likely be 100% if they would have done 30 tests over multiple years. And that is because it will always be there, because we live in Earth.
The second part of this discussion is that all forms of all elements are not the same. This part makes the headline-catching buzzwords more laughable.
On an elemental analysis, they test for the presence of a pure element, not the compound(s) that those elements occur in. Even though they occur as different compound and/or isotopes. In salt, 100% pure table salt, the test results would show 620,000 parts per million (ppm) Chlorine and 380,000 ppm Sodium. This is where it gets interesting. Everyone knows that pure elemental Chlorine is a deadly, acid, gas. Super dangerous and super deadly. Lesser known, is that pure elemental Sodium is an extremely volatile silver-colored metal that is a very alkaline base. In fact, a single drop of water on a block of pure, metallic, silver and it will explode violently. Yet, if you attach a single sodium to a single chlorine, you get sodium chloride which is nothing like pure sodium and nothing like pure chloride. Similarly, there are some forms of iodine that are essential for life. Other forms of iodine, like Iodone131, are extremely radioactive and will kill you in a short period of time.
Aluminum is similar in that some forms of aluminum are extremely problematic, and others are completely inert. In fact, aluminum is the 3rd most abundant element in the Earth’s crust, but fortunately it does not occur in a pure elemental form but rather attached to silica. And when aluminum shows up as an aluminum silicate, it is completely inert and 100% different from elemental aluminum – even though on an elemental analysis you will see aluminum and silica listed as different elements.
We actually have had a few different blog posts addressing these topics for years and I will share the links below. Like many things, these topics come and go as hot-buttons with different news/blog posts, so we just leave them up for times like this:
All that said, we know that Real Salt is not for everyone. And anyone that feels that highly processed salts like Morton or Diamond Crystal are preferred because of their highly processed and refined approach to salt is better, are probably better off using a different brand. In contrast, we feel that nature has it right when it comes to products. So even though natural products, including natural salts, have natural earth-based elements, we prefer them to a highly refined product that tried to “improve” on nature.
Hope that helps and thanks again for reaching out and for being a fan of Redmond.”
LMNT Electrolyte Drink Mix
LMNT electrolyte drink mix is a popular salt-based product containing refined salt that’s solar evaporated from the US.
According to their FAQ, LMNT explains that their salt is sourced from naturally occurring aquifers in the US. This method supposedly reduces the risk of contamination from sources such as plastics or other pollutants that might be introduced through blast mining or ocean-derived salts.
The salt is harvested through solar evaporation, where salty water is collected in shallow pools, evaporated by the sun, and then the resulting salt crystals are collected. They also refine their salt to remove impurities, including heavy metals, further ensuring the safety and purity of the product.
In terms of Prop 65 compliance, LMNT reports meeting the standards set by California’s regulations, which require a warning label if a product contains over 0.5 mg of lead per maximum daily usage. LMNT has reported that it does not require such a label, as their lead levels are below this threshold. However, as mentioned previously, Prop 65 compliance is not solely based on test results, and there are possible loopholes that can sometimes allow products to avoid warning labels.
In a report by Mamavation, 40 electrolyte brands were tested for PFAS and fluoride at an EPA-certified, third-party lab. While the comprehensive results weren’t disclosed, LMNT’s Citrus Salt was rated as a “better” option because it showed no indications of PFAS or inorganic fluoride.
LMNT claims to perform third-party heavy metal testing on both their raw materials and their finished electrolyte products. However, despite these claims, the Certificates of Analysis (COAs) that would confirm these tests are not available on their website. To get more clarity, we reached out to their customer support to request recent COAs, and received the following response:
“We totally understand your concern, and we know this has been a spicy topic lately. We agree that it’s important to understand what we’re consuming.
I think some context would be helpful up-front. Lead and other heavy metals occur naturally in the world. Their ubiquitous presence in nature means that they often find their way into food supply. Plants, for example, take in lead from soil, water, and air as they grow. Because LMNT has natural ingredients, it contains extremely low amounts of lead — levels which are below the most stringent of safety requirements.
Specifically, we always adhere to the standard of less than 0.5 micrograms (mcg) of lead per stick pack. That equates to 0.08333 parts per million (ppm). To be clear, that is the upper bound — it’s both an extremely conservative limit, and one that we stay well below. We’re committed to producing the safest product possible.
Because raw materials can vary in the amount of lead they contain, it would be inaccurate to report a “consistent” amount of lead in LMNT. However, I have shared a Certificate of Analysis (test results for a batch of Watermelon Salt) with you. Therein, you can see the level of lead was 0.28 micrograms (mcg), or 0.04667 parts per million (ppm) — about half of the extremely safe standard.
While much in our food system has been opaque and not ideal for health, we’re confident in the quality of LMNT — it’s rigorously tested at multiple points in the production process by our suppliers, manufacturers, and an independent third party.
The bottom line on safety for us is that we drink LMNT. Our families drink LMNT. Our kids drink LMNT. And we all drink a lot of it. We’re beyond just “comfortable” with the ingredient list — we feel good about giving it to ourselves and our loved ones.”
LMNT also provided the COA above. While the heavy metal content appears to be within the safe range for everything tested, similarly to Redmond’s, LMNT has redacted the name and information of the third-party lab responsible for this report. We were also unable to follow up and confirm with the lab directly because of this.
So, What’s the Verdict on Which Salt I Should Use?
In all honesty, we may never know for sure which type of salt is better. Since everything is sourced from the already contaminated land and water in our world, there will always be toxins present and, hence, risks.
However, we generally recommend using a variety of salts such as Redmond’s Real Salt, Himalayan pink salt, Celtic salt, and sea salt. We believe in prioritizing unrefined salts so you’re able to take advantage of the important trace minerals that have been depleted from our soils and foods while avoiding harmful anti-caking agents and additives.
Sole water is also recommended as it is simply salt water that’s left overnight to allow the saturation of natural salt and trace minerals. It may be even more beneficial due to the higher bioavailability of trace minerals. You can learn more about sole water here.
From there, you’ll need to determine what your taste preferences are, what you tolerate best, and what products you feel the most comfortable with as we may never fully get it right.
Ultimately, the goal is consistency and trying to do our best without getting overwhelmed and dysregulated.
Next Steps for Those Still Concerned With Heavy Metals in Salt
If you’re still really concerned about potential heavy metals in your salt, here are some things to consider and the next steps.
Heavy Metal Toxicity and Health Conditions
If you are prone to heavy metal toxicity or have a health condition that impacts your body’s detox capabilities such as Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS), then being mindful of all potential heavy metal sources may be helpful.
It is important to note that we have yet to see any heavy metal toxicity in our client and patient’s Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) results directly from salt. There can be many more prevalent sources of heavy metals outside of salt, making it crucial to work with a trusted practitioner to help determine what is and isn’t affecting you if you’re suffering from heavy metal toxicity.
Pro-Tip: Heavy metals can be found in personal care products, household items, tap water, plant-based foods, vaccines and medications, and so much more. We recommend limiting these items first as they can be some of the more significant heavy metal offenders and often don’t have any to minimal benefits.
Experimentation and Testing
If you’re interested in determining if a specific salt is impacting you, you can also do a test sample on yourself.
Round One: Make sure your food, water, and timing of testing are standardized for this first round as well as all additional rounds. The last meal and the type of water you’re drinking prior to bloodwork should be relatively the same to create a baseline. Test your blood for the following heavy metals: arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, and aluminum.
Round Two: After consuming only one type of salt for a few months while keeping all other factors consistent, do another round of bloodwork for the same heavy metals to see if there are any changes.
Round Three: Swap out the salt for another type and repeat the experiment for another few months while keeping all other factors consistent.
The HTMA can also be utilized in tandem with this experimentation and testing. Bloodwork can reveal acute heavy metal toxicity but an HTMA provides a more comprehensive, in-depth analysis of exact mineral levels including heavy metals.
Closing Thoughts on Salt and Heavy Metals
When it comes to salt and heavy metals, it’s important to recognize that, like many aspects of health, there is a spectrum of potential toxicity. Individuals with chronic illness, autoimmune conditions, or heightened sensitivities may need to be more vigilant about their exposure to heavy metals and other toxins.
However, it’s crucial to approach this with balance. Striving for a completely toxin-free life is unrealistic and can lead to feelings of overwhelm and stress, which can ultimately harm both physical and mental health.
Instead, we should aim for informed, practical decisions that align with our overall wellness goals. Knowledge truly is power, and understanding the sources of potential toxins while balancing that information with what is feasible in daily life is key.
In a world full of environmental toxins, it’s less about eliminating every single exposure and more about making consistent choices that reduce the burden on the body while supporting overall health.
Prioritize what you can control, and remember that consistency over perfection will yield the best results. Navigating a toxic world is challenging, but with the right mindset and an empathetic approach, we can do our best without feeling overwhelmed.
Work With Our Trusted Carnivore Diet Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioners
The Nutrition with Judy practice is honored to be a trusted carnivore diet practitioner support serving clients from around the globe. We’re passionate about helping our clients achieve root-cause healing in order to lead the best quality of life possible that’s nearly symptom-free. Our team is dedicated to providing the nuanced research you need to make informed health decisions. We welcome you to explore our free resources and are always available to support you through personalized protocols. Our Symptom Burden Assessment (SBA) is the perfect starting point for discovering your root cause and is required to work with our team— you can learn more in-depth about this powerful tool here.
Start your root-cause healing journey today and contact us any time with any questions or concerns.
DISCLAIMER: This content is for educational purposes only. While we are board-certified in holistic nutrition and are nutritional therapy practitioners, we are not providing medical advice. Whenever you start a new diet or protocol, always consult with your trusted practitioner first.
Salt is an umbrella term and can also refer to KCl and MgCl which remains after the fluid evaporates. NaCl is the first to leave a residue followed by MgCl and then KCl.
I have not used salt for 16 years now. With very few rare exceptions of salted food (sea salt), I haven’t salted anything for the last 16 years, and hardly any the 30 years before that. I am 75, currently carnivore. I have been eating raw meat and eggs for same 16 years and in recent years also organ meats and fish eggs.
My thoughts on salt differ, and I would love to have your opinion: I like to learn from nature. If we lived in the wild, where would we get salt if we even discovered it. I know it is reported that animals lick rocks and look for salty water. But how often do they do that? From what I read, yearly or so. Our ancestors didn’t have salt shakers or an on going supply of salt, specially when living away from the ocean. And, why would meat’s salt not be sufficient?
I don’t have answers, and to play it safe, I currently take ionic trace minerals and iodine and extra magnesium and potassium (also ionic.) Some of the carnivore doctors do not eat salt and seem fine. I would love to know if this point of view is worth considering in your mind. Meat and eggs do have salt. It is hard to believe that the body must have an added salt, (additive) something that isn’t naturally available on a regular basis. I have been grappling with this for years, wondering if I am doing harm. But I cannot sleep if I eat salt… so more questions than answers. Thank you for your work.
Naomi Aldort
Due to the contamination of water and soils, these levels and dangers are becoming elevated in everything we consume. Salt crystals collect on plants by the seaside, when the water goes out and they dry. There is also the salt flats of Utah. To salt or not remains a personal choice. The soils have become depleted from what they once were. Most salt on the market contains dangerous levels of lead and heavy metals and even microplastics. Also, electrolytes must be Balanced in the body.
I have low blood pressure issues and have to consume a lot of salt. People like me will consume more than what the manufacturer is expecting so I think that people like me should stick to purified sodium chloride suggested by Dr. Ede to avoid toxicity issues. My horse over consumed Redmond salt and got selenium poisoning in part from that source and some others that didn’t list selenium in their ingredients list.
Also, regarding LMNT. They promised no junk and yet their flavored products have 2 or more Carbs that they don’t account for and I’m furious to discover sugar added by the manufacturer. See Dr. Sten Eckberg video -pointing this out. If you purchase LMNT you should stick with plain. I wish Dr. Eckberg didn’t put any sweetener into his products either. LMNT does have a recipe for making your own electrolyte powder which is helpful.
LMNT also contains “citric acid” which, I have recently come to understand, is basically mold. There is a pubmed article on this in case anyone is interested. Plus they are SO expensive!
Indigo Awakener
October 5, 2024 at 7:21 amWhat happened to the pink salts analysis? It usually comes down to Redmond’s or Himalayan pink as choices for carnivores!
merrie jones
October 5, 2024 at 5:35 pmSalt is an umbrella term and can also refer to KCl and MgCl which remains after the fluid evaporates. NaCl is the first to leave a residue followed by MgCl and then KCl.
Naomi Aldort
October 7, 2024 at 8:51 pmI have not used salt for 16 years now. With very few rare exceptions of salted food (sea salt), I haven’t salted anything for the last 16 years, and hardly any the 30 years before that. I am 75, currently carnivore. I have been eating raw meat and eggs for same 16 years and in recent years also organ meats and fish eggs.
My thoughts on salt differ, and I would love to have your opinion: I like to learn from nature. If we lived in the wild, where would we get salt if we even discovered it. I know it is reported that animals lick rocks and look for salty water. But how often do they do that? From what I read, yearly or so. Our ancestors didn’t have salt shakers or an on going supply of salt, specially when living away from the ocean. And, why would meat’s salt not be sufficient?
I don’t have answers, and to play it safe, I currently take ionic trace minerals and iodine and extra magnesium and potassium (also ionic.) Some of the carnivore doctors do not eat salt and seem fine. I would love to know if this point of view is worth considering in your mind. Meat and eggs do have salt. It is hard to believe that the body must have an added salt, (additive) something that isn’t naturally available on a regular basis. I have been grappling with this for years, wondering if I am doing harm. But I cannot sleep if I eat salt… so more questions than answers. Thank you for your work.
Naomi Aldort
Ange
February 12, 2025 at 6:05 pmDue to the contamination of water and soils, these levels and dangers are becoming elevated in everything we consume. Salt crystals collect on plants by the seaside, when the water goes out and they dry. There is also the salt flats of Utah. To salt or not remains a personal choice. The soils have become depleted from what they once were. Most salt on the market contains dangerous levels of lead and heavy metals and even microplastics. Also, electrolytes must be Balanced in the body.
Deneen Smith
December 15, 2024 at 11:12 pmI have low blood pressure issues and have to consume a lot of salt. People like me will consume more than what the manufacturer is expecting so I think that people like me should stick to purified sodium chloride suggested by Dr. Ede to avoid toxicity issues. My horse over consumed Redmond salt and got selenium poisoning in part from that source and some others that didn’t list selenium in their ingredients list.
Also, regarding LMNT. They promised no junk and yet their flavored products have 2 or more Carbs that they don’t account for and I’m furious to discover sugar added by the manufacturer. See Dr. Sten Eckberg video -pointing this out. If you purchase LMNT you should stick with plain. I wish Dr. Eckberg didn’t put any sweetener into his products either. LMNT does have a recipe for making your own electrolyte powder which is helpful.
Jennifer Weir
January 3, 2025 at 1:49 pmLMNT also contains “citric acid” which, I have recently come to understand, is basically mold. There is a pubmed article on this in case anyone is interested. Plus they are SO expensive!