You're probably well aware that your salt shaker could lead to high blood pressure, water retention, and other health issues that can arise when you consume too much sodium. But now, experts are warning that it's not just the amount of salt you're using but also the type, many of which are "heavily bleached and processed and refined."
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The two salts in question are table salt (including Kosher salt) and sea salt.
Table salt is mined from underground deposits "and then processed to give it a fine texture so it’s easier to mix and use in recipes," writes the American Heart Association (AHA). "This processing strips table salt of other minerals, and additives may be used to prevent clumping."
"Sea salt is obtained directly through the evaporation of seawater. It is usually not processed, or undergoes minimal processing, and may retain an uneven or darker color, as well as trace levels of minerals like magnesium, potassium, calcium and other nutrients," they continue.
In a recent TikTok video, grocery expert Bobby Parrish reviewed the salt options at Costco. Holding up a box of Morton coarse Kosher salt, he explained that it's "heavily bleached and processed and refined."
He notes that when salt has additional ingredients, they're anticakers: "So the salt comes out really easy with a flowing agent."
Indeed, if you look at the ingredients for this particular salt, you'll find "yellow prussiate of soda (an anticaking agent)." It's also present in Walmart's Great Value brand iodized salt.
This additive has made negative headlines because it technically contains cyanide. However, it's approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and as the Center for Science in the Public Interest explains, "it is not toxic because the cyanide is tightly bound to iron atoms."
The Great Value salt also contains dextrose, "a type of simple sugar derived from corn" that can extend a food's shelf life, MedicalNewsToday explains. Again, in small amounts, this additive is considered safe.
In a separate TikTok video, healthy eating expert Kyle Fitzgerald noted that these refined salts are usually bleached to make them perfectly white.
@bobbyparrish Any Unrefined salt is good, but here are my faves: Celtic sea salt Maldon salt Jacobsen salt #salt #seasalt #celticsalt #eatthisnothat #healthyliving #costco #costcofinds
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In addition to many sea salts, unrefined (unprocessed) salts include pink Himalayan salt and Redmond's Real Salt. They still contain those naturally occurring trace minerals, aren't bleached, and will not list any additives in the ingredients list.
However, as the AHA notes, "Because sea salt is not processed, it may contain some impurities found in the ocean such as lead." And when it comes to sodium content, sea salt and table salt are the same.
Another big thing to consider when deciding which salt to use is iodine content. Many table salts are fortified with the mineral, however Kosher salt and sea salt are not. Therefore, as Best Life recently reported, doctors are concerned that iodine deficiency is becoming more common in the U.S. This can lead to thyroid problems, including goiters.
@cleankitchennutrition Here’s which salt you should buy! #healthyeating #healthyeatingtips #nutritiontips #salt
Table salt usually contains additives to prevent clumping, and it's often bleached to appear pure white. Sea salt, on the other hand, is unprocessed. However, it could contain certain impurities from the ocean. Additionally, Kosher salt and sea salt are not fortified with iodine.
Ultimately, the AHA advises that no salt is healthier than another. As for the trace minerals found in sea salt, they say you should be easily getting them from other foods you consume.
Arguably one of the most anticipated times of the year, Girl Scout cookie season is the Hunger Games for sweet tooths. It’s a mad rush to corner stands and booths outside the local grocer because, as any seasoned cookie consumer knows, Popular Girl Scout cookie flavors will set out and fast. In other words, it’s every Thin Mint lover and Samoa fan for themselves. But if you can’t snag your favorite flavor or are looking to save a few bucks this year (GS boxes now sell for $6 a pop!), Dollar Tree, Walmart, and Aldi are selling Girl Scout cookie dupes. See how they measure up to the OGs here.
RELATED: 5 Costco Dupes Starbucks Doesn't Want You to Know About.
America’s favorite Girl Scout cookie has some tough competition. Both Dollar Tree and Walmart are selling dupe versions of the beloved mint chocolate cookie, and fans seem to be on board.
“I was not expecting them to be as good as they are,” TikToker @deanastyle said of the $1.25 Oven Baked Fudge Mint Cookies at Dollar Tree. “Just like a Thin Mint! Put them in your freezer, thank me later.”
Although TikToker @kayleighleon liked the Oven Baked cookies, she did notice some discrepancies. “Dollar Tree definitely nailed the mint flavor, but it’s vanilla inside unlike the actual Girl Scout that has chocolate inside,” she said in her review. Like the OG Thin Mints, there are two sleeves of cookies per box.
According to @kayleighleon, the better Thin Mints dupe is Great Value’s Fudge Mint Cookies, which retail for $2.12 at Walmart. “Those are pretty much the same. Don’t let the color difference fool you, the Walmart one tastes just as minty and flavorful as the Girl Scout cookie,” she told followers.
@deanastyle Even better when they are in the freezer for a while! #dollartreefinds
If Samoas (AKA, Caramel deLites) are your Girl Scout cookie of choice, you’ll want to check out Benton’s Caramel Coconut Fudge Cookies. TikToker @kayleighleon snagged them for $2.75 at Aldi and gave them her Samoas dupe stamp of approval.
“This one from Aldi is definitely a thicker cookie than the Girl Scout cookie, but it’s almost [expletive] near identical,” she said in her TikTok review.
Walmart’s Caramel Coconut & Fudge Cookies are also “definitely a dupe,” according to @kayleighleon. She said the cookies “look so similar” and “ultimately taste the same.” Plus, the Great Value cookies cost like half the price of Girl Scout’s Samoas, coming in at $2.88 per box.
Not to be confused for Lemonades, Lemon-Ups are crunchy lemon cookies engraved with inspiring quotes. They cost $6 per box, but Walmart has a dupe for less than two bucks.
The Great Value Lemon Dipped Shortbread Cookies come with 16 cookies, compared to the 10-count Girl Scout Lemon-Ups box, TikToker @kayleighleon called out in her review.
However, if you’re more concerned about flavor comparison, you might be better off sticking with the OG version. “Walmart’s isn’t nearly as lemony as the actual Girl Scout cookies,” she continued. “Walmart’s is more of a shortbread cookie, not a lot of lemon flavor.”
It’s also worth noting that the Walmart lemon shortbread cookies didn’t have special messages on them.
In this case, the Walmart dupe outshines Girl Scout’s Tagalongs, said @kayleighleon. The dupe in question is Great Value’s Fudge Covered Peanut Butter Filled Cookies, retailing for $2.12 per box.
“There is a slight color difference, but Walmart’s is definitely thicker than the Girl Scout cookie. I really enjoyed Walmart’s cookie over the Girl Scout cookie because I am a chocolate girl, and theirs is chocolate based versus vanilla based,” she explained.
@kayleighleon These are some great options!🍪 #cookies #girlscoutcookies #foodie #foodtiktok #foodreview #tastetest #eatwithme #mukbang #dessert #aldi #aldifinds #dollartree #chocolate