What are the levels of heavy metals and microplastics found inside your favorite sea salt and Himalayan salt products? This was the question Mamavation community members asked us and we didn’t know the answer, so we sent 23 popular salt products off to an EPA-certified laboratory to find out. Do you want to know how high the levels of heavy metals & microplastics are in your favorite sea salt or Himalayan salt? You’ve trusted Mamavation to bring you topics like the safest butter without toxic PFAS packaging, the safest cookware sans PFAS and nanoparticles, & safest water purifiers to filter PFAS “forever chemicals,” now join us for the results of 23 salt products sent to the lab testing for metals aluminum & arsenic, & heavy metals cadmium, mercury, and lead & microplastics.
Disclosure: Scientific reviews were performed by (1) Terrence Collins, Teresa Heinz Professor of Green Chemistry & Director of the Institute for Green Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University & (2) Pete Myers, Chief Scientist at Environmental Health Sciences, Adjunct Professor of Chemistry at Carnegie Mellon University, and Co-Author of Our Stolen Future. This post was medically reviewed by Sondra Strand, RN, BSN, PHN. Donations were provided by Mamavation community members. Note that Mamavation has only “spot-checked” the industry and thus we cannot make predictions about brands and products that were not tested in our EPA-certified laboratory. Products and manufacturing aides can change without notice so buyer beware. This post contains affiliate links, with most to Amazon, which means Mamavation will receive a portion of those sales and we will use that to pay ourselves back for the testing. You can also give a tax-deductible donation to our consumer studies here through Environmental Health Sciences. Thank you!
Table of Contents
Aluminum, Arsenic, Cadmium & Lead Found in Salt Brands
According to the American Heart Association, the average American consumes about 3,400 milligrams per day of salt, whereas the dietary guidelines recommends we consume less than 2,300 milligrams (mg) of sodium daily. Americans are getting most of their sodium from processed foods, and therefore, if you are cooking and eating your meals from home in your own kitchen, you can greatly reduce those levels. It’s claimed that “eating less sodium can reduce your risk for high blood pressure, fluid retention, heart disease, stroke, kidney issues, osteoporosis and cancer.” This is why we highly recommend you cook most of your meals from scratch with ingredients that are minimally processed. But what about the quality of salt you are using? Some metals that are known or suspected toxicants & microplastics are already known to be inside salt but at what levels? This is the question we attempted to answer to help our audience lower their sodium intake while also lowering their intake of heavy metals and microplastics.
Mamavation sent 23 salt products off to an EPA-certified laboratory to test for aluminum, arsenic, and heavy metals cadmium, mercury & lead and microplastics. The good news is no salt product came back with the equivalent levels that would require a Prop. 65 warning based on serving size per day. In addition, no salt product had high enough microplastics that could be conclusively recognized through FTIR testing. The bad news was all salt products had detectable amounts of the subject metals present. Mamavation has done our best to share with you what our laboratory found so that if you are concerned about clearly toxic or potentially toxic metals inside your salt, you’ll be able to make an educated decision when shopping. Here’s what we found:
- The light metal, aluminum, was found in 78% of the salt products. 35% of salt products had over 100,000 ppb of aluminum.
- Arsenic was found in 100% of salt products. 74% of salt products had over 10 ppb of arsenic.
- Cadmium was found in 70% of salt products. 4% of salt products had over 4.1 ppb of cadmium.
- Mercury was NOT found in any salt products.
- Lead was found in 96% of salt products.
- Microplastics were so minute they could not be conclusively detected and recognized via Fourier Transformed Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopic imaging for any sample.
Federal vs. California Prop. 65 “Safe Harbor” Levels For Heavy Metals like Lead & Arsenic
So what levels of lead, arsenic, mercury, & cadmium are concerning to public health officials? According to the Food & Drug Administration, the levels inside your food that you are allowed to be exposed to are as follows:
- Heavy metals as lead (as Pb), should not be in your food or supplements at more than 10 parts per million (ppm)
- Arsenic (as As), should not be in your food or supplement at more than 3 parts per million (ppm)
- Mercury (as Hg), should not be in your food or supplements at more than 1 part per million (ppm)
- Cadmium levels (as Cd) in bottled water should not exceed 0.005 parts per million (ppm)
When it comes to protecting consumers, California has far more stringent health protective levels, but instead of banning products, they require manufacturers to use label warnings instead. California’s Prop. 65 established “safe harbor levels” for most of the heavy metals we tested: arsenic, cadmium, lead, & mercury. Prop. 65 requires businesses to provide warnings to consumers living in California about significant exposures to chemicals that cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm. These chemicals can be in the products they purchase, in their homes or workplaces, or released into the environment. By requiring this information to be provided, it enables consumers in California to make informed decisions about their exposure to these chemicals.
Here are the No Significant Risk Levels (NSRL) and the Maximum Allowable Dose Levels (MADL) established by the State of California for the heavy metals we tested:
- Arsenic: 0.06 ug/day (inhalation), 10 ug/day (except inhalation)
- Cadmium: 0.05 ug/day (inhalation), 4.1 ug/day (oral)
- Lead: 0.5 ug/day level for reproductive toxicity, 15 ug/day (oral) for carcinogens
- Mercury: no established levels (and therefore no seafood would require a warning)
- Aluminum: no established levels (and therefore no salt products would require a warning)
The most difficult part to understand about Prop. 65 is it’s not about the actual test results. Defendents must prove that the average person would consume enough to the product in a 70 year period to cause cancer or reproductive harm. If that contaminate is “naturally occurring” like so many heavy metals are in the soil (especially in modern times from agricultural pesticides in the case of arsenic and lead and the myriad other uses of lead such as its now terminated use as a combustion promoter in gasoline), a company can avoid having to provide a warning label. Therefore, it’s complicated and difficult to understand unless you have good attorneys by your side to explain. But the bottomline is no salt product we tested would require a warning label under the California statute.
Aluminum in Food & Standards Set in Europe
Aluminum can come from natural sources as it makes up 8% of the earth’s mass. The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) considers aluminum used as an indirect additive in food “generally regarded as safe.” Thus aluminum compounds are used in many ways in American food production as preservatives, as color dyes, anti-caking agents, or for leavening breads without active yeast. It’s possible aluminum could be finding its way into salt in various levels as an anti-caking agent, which would help prevent it from clumping. However, not all of these products disclosed the use of aluminum as a food additive if they were using it.
The amount of aluminum from indirect food additives varies from person to person based on what you are eating, however, it’s assumed to be anywhere from 0 to 95 milligrams per day for Americans. The United States does not have any standards for aluminum in food that we could find. We could, however, find tolerable weekly intakes from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) & the World Health Organization (WHO) based on the precautionary principle.
- Based on the combined evidence from several studies, EFSA has recommended a tolerable weekly intake (TWI) of 1 mg aluminum/kg body weight/week. Thus using EFSA’s estimate, a person weighing 150 lbs. can tolerate up to the equivalent of 68 mg of aluminum per week.
- More recently, in 2011, the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) reviewed scientific evidence which increased their confidence in the risk assessment, and thus WHO experts established an increased Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake (PTWI) of 2 mg/kg body weight. This means, according to the WHO, someone who weighs 150 lbs. could safely 136 mg per week.
Because you are also getting aluminum inside other foods like baked goods with flour, beans, condiments, cereals, cheese sauces, root vegetables, & certain seafood, it may be possible, especially for people with bad kidneys, that you could be consuming more than a safe recommendation. In reflection of the Precautionary Principle, we’ve tested salt for aluminum for you as well to help you make those decisions yourself on where you would like your dietary aluminum to come from.
How Do Heavy Metals Find Themselves in Salt?
So how do heavy metals (aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, mercury & lead) find their way into salt? Officially, we are not certain brand by brand, but here are some theories based on how other food products are contaminated:
- Naturally Occurring: Heavy metals are naturally present in the soil in different concentrations based on the geology of the land. For instance, more cadmium is found in certain soils in South America and less in certain African soils. This may be why we consistently found higher heavy metals in Himalayan salts vs. most sea salts because Himalayan salt is dug out of the ground mostly in Pakistan, which is also known to have higher levels of Cadmium in the soil. However, it is to be remembered that Himalayan sea salt is thought to have been laid down in the Permian Epoch more than 250 million years ago so the metal content reflects that truly ancient environment.
- Legacy Pesticide Use: For many decades, heavy metals were added to pesticides as an adjuvants, or were key components of pesticide toxicity such as with lead arsenate used as a pesticide in orchards and can still be found in soils with a history of certain pesticide use. Thus, runoff from farm use could find its way into sea salt.
- Manufacturing Contamination: Heavy metals can be found in many manufacturing situations, for example, as equipment is used dust from abrasion can contaminate food and personal care products that way. When salt is processed, the manufacturing equipment itself could pose a contamination risk.
- Storage: In places where heavy metals are present in the soil, storing and drying certain salts outside can present a contamination risk. Dark chocolate is known to be contaminated this way.
- Air Pollution: Heavy metals can start as air pollution from manufacturing byproducts from polluted industrial areas and can find their way into other parts of the world through the wind and through bodies of water. For example, mercury originally found in coal is released into the air when coal is burned. Downwind it falls to the earth and is converted to methyl mercury, which moves up the food chain contaminating fish, including tuna. We were happy to see that mercury was non-detect for all samples of salt.
- Food Additives: Some food additives could be contaminated with heavy metals, or as in the case with aluminum, could itself be a food additive.
Investigation of Salts for Heavy Metals & Raw Data
To recap, Mamavation sent 23 salt products to an EPA-certified lab testing for aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, mercury & lead. 100% of salt products had detectable amounts of heavy metals and those levels and types of heavy metals varied. Here’s a couple of notes to consider before reading the raw data:
- The laboratory also looked for microplastics by using Fourier Transformed Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopic imaging. Microplastics were found, but they were not in high enough levels for the test to conclusively recognize what type of microplastics they were.
- Parts per billion is ppb and parts per million is ppm.
- 1 ppm = 1,000 ppb
- MRL means Maximum Residue Levels which meant that the lab could detect some metals, but it was so low they could not measure the exact amount.
We divided the 23 salt products into 3 categories according to contamination levels. These levels reflect the overall levels of heavy metal contamination in each product but do not follow specific government recommendations.
(Update: 3 additional salt products were added to this investigation on 2/13/24 and are marked with a ** in the “not our favorite” category.)
Not Our Favorite Salt Products
These salt products represented the highest amounts of heavy metals according to our laboratory. Aluminum is reported in the ppm, while other heavy metals are reported in the ppb. In this category, you will find between 29 – 242 ppm of aluminum, 12.53 – 82.156 ppb arsenic, non-detect to 7.32 ppb cadmium, all mercury non-detect, and between 92.56 – 553.44 ppb of lead. (UPDATE: We added 3 additional salt products to this investigation from audience popularity and they are at the bottom of this category marked with a **. )
Not Our Favorite Salt Products
| Al in ppm | As in ppb | Cd in ppb | Hg in ppb | Pb in ppb | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Artisan Salt Company Ancient Ocean Himalayan Pink Salt | 130.514 | 40.5 | 0.74 | ND | 96.834 |
| Manischewitz Natural Kosher Salt | 29.955 | 12.536 | ND | ND | 140.572 |
| McCormick Fine Ground Pink Himalayan Salt | 167.270 | 44.637 | < MRL | ND | 92.564 |
| Redmonds Real Salt Ancient Fine Sea Salt | 229.071 | 36.14 | 7.3256 | ND | 252.246 |
| San Francisco Salt Company Sherpa Pink Himalayan Salt | 251.824 | 39.43 | 1.1276 | ND | 132.984 |
| Celtic Sea Salt Fine Ground | 171.320 | 82.156 | 1.1927 | ND | 553.440 |
| Shaun Himalayan Salt | 173.534 | 42.006 | 1.7755 | ND | 106.704 |
| The Spice Lab Himalayan Salt | 242.750 | 46.063 | 1.0684 | ND | 170.570 |
| Trader Joes Himalayan Pink Salt Crystals | 83.041 | 33.686 | 1.7928 | ND | 180.695 |
| Wellesley Farms Kosher Himalayan Pink Salt | 211.772 | 35.032 | 0.9818 | ND | 14.985 |
| **Baja Gold Mineral Sea Salt Fine Grind | < MRL | < MRL | 3.63 | ND | 337.79 |
| **Colima Sea Salt | < MRL | < MRL | 2.29 | ND | 16.55 |
| **Crucial Four mMinerals (Polar White Sea Salt) | 5.02 | 21.94 | 1.13 | ND | 7.41 |
Better Salt Products
These salt products represent the middle of the road in terms of heavy metals according to our lab. Aluminum is reported in the ppm, while other heavy metals are reported in the ppb. This category has the following levels present: Between 2.154 – 80.468 ppm of aluminum, between 7.39 – 24.14 ppb of arsenic, between non-detect – 0.77 ppb of cadmium, no mercury, & between 45.63 – 84.45 ppb of lead.
| Al in ppm | As in ppb | Cd in ppb | Hg in ppb | Pb in ppb | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frontier Co-Op Fine Grind Pink Himalayan Salt | 80.468 | 17.487 | < MRL | ND | 71.416 |
| Seasonello Iodized Sea Salt | 3.426 | 7.391 | < MRL | ND | 55.496 |
| Terrasoul Superfoods Himalayan Pink Salt | 16.377 | 24.141 | 0.620 | ND | 84.447 |
| Watkins Fine Himalayan Pink Salt | 76.864 | 19.102 | 0.752 | ND | 90.246 |
| Vera Salt Pure Natural Spring Salt Microplastic Free | 2.154 | 15.425 | 0.769 | ND | 45.627 |
| Himala Salt | 12.02 | 12.28 | ND | ND | 70.63 |
Best Salt Products
These salt products had the lowest amounts of heavy metals. Aluminum is reported in the ppm, while other heavy metals are reported in the ppb. Here’s how low this category was: All aluminum was under 2 ppm, all arsenic was 15.27 ppb or less, all cadmium was 2.56 ppb or less, all Mercury was non-detect, and all lead was 14.99 or less. MRL means Maximum Residue Levels which meant that the lab could detect some metals, but it was so low they could not measure the exact amount.
Best Salt Products
| Al in ppm | As in ppb | Cd in ppb | Hg in ppb | Pb in ppb | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| David's Kosher Salt | ND | 10.839 | < MRL | ND | 3.561 |
| Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt | ND | ND | < MRL | ND | ND |
| Hain Pure Foods Iodized Salt | < MRL | 9.552 | 2.559 | ND | 3.702 |
| Jacobsen's Salt Company Kosher Sea Salt | 1.690 | 9.885 | 0.532 | ND | < MRL |
| Maldon Sea Salt Flakes | ND | 12.799 | ND | ND | < MRL |
| Morton Iodized Salt | ND | < MRL | < MRL | ND | 11.967 |
| Saltverk Flaky Sea Salt | ND | 15.273 | ND | ND | 6.571 |
| Wellesley Farms Mediterranean Sea Salt | < MRL | 7.602 | < MRL | ND | 14.985 |
Safest Non-Toxic & Natural Rugs For The Whole Family — Guide
Who did the testing? I would like to see the lab results for Diamond Kosher salt?
me too, it looks like refined salt, sodium chloride.
Regarding the following two statements made in this article, could you provide a link to the laboratory report, and could you provide your calculations per Prop 65?
“Mamavation sent 23 salt products off to an EPA-certified laboratory to test for aluminum, arsenic, and heavy metals cadmium, mercury & lead and microplastics.”
“The good news is no salt product came back with the equivalent levels that would require a Prop. 65 warning based on serving size per day.”
Hello! I want to know what salt do you recommend for add to water for electrolytes, because all the best salts in the study are sea salt and they dont have enough minerals like himalayan celtic redmon etc.
i know i can use those best sea salt for cooking, but for drinking for minerals and electrolytes what salt do you recommend? Thanks for all!
Hello, I’m confused. The Colima salt has almost undetectible amounts of alumium and arsenic, very low cadium, no mercury and very minimal lead. Why is it listed on your “not so favorite” list? Plus, the taste is amazing!
Also, have your tested the Ava Jane’s Avocado oil for phthalates? Would be great if you did. Thanks so very much.
Look for much forward to your reply
Colima tests high in lead: 16.55 PB in PPB.
All the numbers are in the chart above.
I have a cupboard full of Colima salt and I think it tastes great! I came here to find out if it was ok to eat. I see that it is on the “not favorite” list but it has these two astericks by it. What do those mean?? Please clarify those. It is also on the Baja Gold as well. ~ Thanks.
Hey, they added Colima to the list later. It has the astricks next to it bc it doesn’t belong in that category, that’s just where it got added. You can see in the test that Colima contains almost none of these. It’s a great product. It’s the salt I use also.
Available information suggests that Morton iodized salt is generally considered safe and has not been flagged in recent reports for unsafe levels of heavy metals such as aluminum (Al), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), or lead (Pb). However, heavy metal contamination in food products, including salt, can vary by source, and independent testing on various salt brands has revealed significant differences in their purity.
Both Morton Iodized Salt and their Sea Salt has HIGH levels of aluminum.
At least the containers that I bought. I know this because I am highly allergic to any product that contains aluminum ie : toothpaste, deodorant, baking soda… because I used to work at an electronics co. doing a job called Aluminum etch – where the aluminum was dissolved and released into the air via a chemical reaction by dipping the “wafers” into a nitric acid/ soap solution. My etch hood was not ventilating the fumes out, and my supervisor didn’t want any down time, so I breathed in these fumes for an entire year.
I got so sick I had to quit my job. 40 years later I am still sick. McD French fries put me into anaphylaxis as will any other product with reg. salt, or baking soda. They add aluminum as an anti-caking agent. I am a human litmus test paper. I have had no problem with Himalayan pink salt, so I really doubt the results of this study – at least where aluminum is concerned.
once heavy metals enter the human body is a challenge to remove from the human body… this is why Your gone on so long of a time to endure a hyper sensitivity to other chemicals or other heavy metal exposure… since Your body is already burdened from Your former work place .. I highly recommend checking into Dr Chris Shade protocols on removing the exposure from your body .. he has an extensive background as a toxicologist..
Baleine Salt???
Apologies but I don’t understand the chart. Can someone explain in plain english what the heading abbreviations mean and would I be correct in assuming that the best one is the one with the most ND’s and the lowest of other numbers? Thanks to anyone with the patience to explain to a senior.
I believe ND means none detected
Hi Leah,
The Baja Gold mineral salt looks like it has low numbers. Is there a reason why it’s in the Not your favorite grouping? Thanks!
Looks like it’s high in Lead, but lower in the other categories. Baja gold has plenty of minerals and health benefits, low sodium chloride numbers too. I hate how it has high levels of lead, but it’s lower than Celtic Sea Salt, another so called “gold standard” of salt. I’ll take my baja gold natural salt over Morton’s bleached salt any day of the week…
ND non detected or no data?
With all the research that I have done on salt recently Lake Debrah salt seems to be no detection of lead, heavy metals or microplastics. Now whether that’s true or not I do not know. It is very expensive I bought it on Amazon for $19 and tasted it this morning it’s more saltier than the norm. I am trying to stay away from chemicals and eat clean. Can anyone tell me if they’ve ever used Lake Debrah and know any more details than they’re telling us?
Thanks,
D’
Is it possible to find out what EPA lab was used? I’m trying to share this information with others and that was a question I was asked. Thank you
So the diamond crystal kosher salt is the best ?
NO! Hahaha. A Real Conundrum huh. Such a bunch of nonsense that people are wracking their brains over fear of the ability to use machines to determine microscopic levels of nonsense.
No matter what you buy and no matter what you eat your subconscious can not only cure but fully recreate you.
You can eat poison but if you eat it knowing it will make you strong it will make you strong.
Unless of course you prefer to play their game. Go with the heart. Eat much less food and be sure to allow the Sun on your body and your bare feet on the ground.
Not Our Favorite Salt Products
AL IN PPM AS IN PPB CD IN PPB HG IN PPB PB IN PPB . As you can see from the preceding pasted header which begins the test results chart for salt, PB IN PPB, the 5th column is displayed for lead (Pb). That’s only when I view that chart in the preview screen for printing it. The 5th column for lead (Pb) doesn’t appear when viewing the website page for the same chart.
Mamavation salt test results: The website pages don’t show the 5th column for lead (Pb), but the printout view shows the 5th column for lead. I’m not the only one who has observed this problem. Please correct the charts to display that 5th column for lead (Pb). Thank you.
I am able to simply scroll it over on the website – have you tried that?
This is ridiculous. The only logical reason to seek out these fancy salts is to avoid or reduce metals and plastic intake which supposedly is in the regular salt. Morton is the most “regular” salt you can get, and yet here this study lists it as having one of the lowest amounts of both metals and plastics. If that’s true, then we better stick to Morton. In that case this is all a BIG waste of time. If we are to believe this testing we better all go back to consuming Morton, which is one of the cheaper options and we could have avoided wasting a bunch of time, and avoided the aggravation. What is wrong with people? What happened to reason?
It seems to me that putting refined salts, which are dangerous to your health, in the Good category because they have the least heavy metals, is not helpful. I would rather find the unrefined salts that have the least contaminants thann use refined salt. Frankly, though I understand the comparison and it may be helpful, some suspicion arises in me if I see the worst salts listed as the best.
This data shows that calling refined table salt “bad” is just a bunch of marketing hype by companies selling specialty salts which are actually contain far more toxic metals.
The reason for testing these salts is because they are very very good for you. They contain so many healthy much needed minerals. Use them to cook with as well as adding them to the water you drink. You can google to find out the benefits and also how much to add to water. Morton salt does not contain minerals. It only has iodine. I know people have always been told to eat less salt but get the right ones and you can have salt all the time. Morton’s is on this list but it’s only in the best salt chart based on it’s contaminates. If you don’t believe me feel free to fact check this comment.
They are NOT good for you. Didn’t you read anything at all? Stick with salt companies that produce kosher salts, and use that or their iodized salts. You will get all the minerals you need by eating all types of meat and fish and eggs.
You have been fact checked and found wanting.
Calcium and sodium ions/receptors form the basis of cell and organ signalling in our body, in particular our autonomic cardiac system.
The reason we’re constantly told to reduce salt, is because our diets have trended towards processed foods which contain high amounts of salt per serving.
Putting excess salt into your system (or equally not having enough) changes this signalling balance and results in things like blood pressure, heart issues etc etc.
So saying that you can eat as much salt as you like is plain wrong. Much the same as eliminating all salt from your diet and drinking huge amounts of water.
If you still want to believe you can consume as much salt as you want because they are “very very good (salts)”, I hope you have an excellent health insurance and estate plan.
My husband has high blood pressure and we find that when we use regular Morton salt with no minerals it does in fact raise his blood pressure. But when we use a salt that has all those other minerals in there, he can use as much salt as he likes (and he likes a lot of salt if given the freedom to do that) and it does not affect his blood pressure at all. I have learned of this idea from many health practitioners but never took it too seriously until I know have witnessed this in my own life with my husband. What they tell you about this IS TRUE.
They bleach regular salt so that’s not good
There is also color and flavor. Most people buy things based on marketing stories, not information or how they personally FEEL after using the product. 🙂
(I’ve been a loyal Morton’s fan since childhood…)
Many salts have caking agents to make them pour easier…..but these are harmful too. Did the salts get tested for these caking agents?
I was just about to order some Maldon sea salt based on this list when I discovered there was a nuclear plant right beside Maldon and nuclear waste has been dumped there for decades….
It would be great to have an article on salt that considers microplastics, heavy metals and radioactivity. Then we could choose a healthy salt.
There was one salt, Vera Salt Pure Natural Spring Salt , that tested either very low or negative for microplastics. I searched for it but wasn’t fond of the price.
Tested very low or negative for microplastics where? By Mamavation?
I see that Alessi brand sea salt wasn’t on any of the lists. That is the brand that I purchase. Has it not been tested? I’m curious as to what the results would be.
I was also looking for Alessi ☺️
Same!
I’d also be interested to see how costco’s pink salt is rated as well
Me too!
Same. That’s precisely why I’m scouring the net..
Hello, you have caught my interest…regarding the heavy metal content in our foods, condiments, salt, etc… I would like to know if you are sponsered in any way, from any companies, to promote their products specifically. I buy Spice Hunter almost exclusively and wondered why they were not on the list. And if you picked certain companies to promote them.
Leah isn’t sponsored by anyone. Read through her website and you’ll learn a lot more about how her and how her testing works.
She also can’t possibly test every product in every category. But, as with this test, she occasionally updates findings with additional products.
Not mentioned in this article are the two 800lb gorillas with regards to sources of heavy metals in our bodies coming from our modern Babylonian medical system–vaccines and dental amalgams. Worrying about the lead or cadmium content in your Himalayan salt while consuming these medical products is akin to straining for gnats and swallowing camels.
We don’t know what we don’t know. When we do, we can make better choices.
And by the way, this was a SALT post!
touched a nerve me thinks!
While I agree with you regarding the medical industry, (vaccines help aluminium and such bypass our filtering organs thus giving a direct line through the blood brain barrier) the writer can’t possible address every topic in one post. Causing awareness about what we ingest is a great start to one’s journey and often leads to a greater health exploration later down the road.. While most of us stumbled on this post because of a deeper desire for truth the general population isn’t questioning what makes up salt.. The desire for truth starts from within..
On my computer, I only see 4 columns, but I printed this for someone, and on the printout the 5th column is lead. Glad I printed it, as that number is large for some of these, and there is no safe amount for lead. I have a child with autism. Modified citrus pectin is what our doctor had us use to get her lead count down to zero via blood test.
Does that apply to aluminum toxicity of people with dementia & people with lead toxicity /, parkinson’s?
Read Dr Ardis new book Covid 19 lies. He discusses scientifically peer reviewed studies that reveal cures for Parkinsons, MS and even diabetes! Be prepared to be shocked with the truth.
Within the digital world, one can typically scroll horizontally via various methods such as clicking on the table followed by the use of the arrow keys, pushing the mouse wheel from side to side if it supports it or most popular, simply holding down the shift key whilst scrolling the mouse wheel (whilst the pointer is hovering over the table.)
Can you tell me where you get the pectin from
Google PectaSol Modified Citrus Pectin
which independent labs did you use to test the contaminants in the various salts?
How about Eden Celtic French Sea Salt? I mean, if it says they leave the minerals in, wouldn’t that include whatever else comes along with it, including heavy metals?
Mnay people with pots or similar symptoms need full electrolytes to include potassium and magnesium mixed in with the salt. A popular brand is LMNT. You’re talking about 3 to 10 G of salt consumed a day. Which of the best salts is the lowest for all heavy metals? And have you tested electrolyte powders before? It’s the best option for those with pots symptoms to take the ones without added sugar(flavor). Most brands have an unflavored version. Thank you!
Yes, that’s definitely generally how it works. It’s always best to have *processed* salt. And white in color! 🙂
Eden Celtic sea salt has a California prop 65 warning for arsenic, which accumulates in the body over time, and salt is used over time. I got arsenic symptoms after using this salt.
This is bogus!
Kosher Salt has no data (ND) yet it is listed under Best/better category!!!!
I don’t trust this website!
ND means not detected
I think that stands for Not Detected
Yeah, me either!
ND is explained to mean Not Detected.
The three you tested later seems to test well. Are they listed in the wrong category? Specifically crucial, shouldn’t it be under better?
Did you test Costco’s pink Himalayan salt? Or Himalayan chef pink salt?
I have the same question- what about Himalayan Chef’s pink salt- product comes from Pakistan.
Hi! Could you consider adding Himalayan Chef’s Himalayan Pink Salt to the sturdy? They’re one of the largest manufacturers of Himalayan salt and market themselves as sourcing they’re products organically and responsibly.
Why are the salts you newly added to your results under the not so good list? Based on their results, they should be in a better salt list. No?
Each one of them failed one of the categories. We did not change those categories…we placed them in accordance with what we had already done.
Curious about Kirklands fine ground pink salt from Pakistan as well!
AL IN PPM AS IN PPB CD IN PPB HG IN PPB PB IN PPB . As you can see from the preceding pasted header which begins the test results chart for salt, PB IN PPB, the 5th column is displayed for lead (Pb). That’s only when I view that chart in the preview screen for printing it. The 5th column for lead (Pb) doesn’t appear when viewing the website page for the same chart. Mamavation salt test results: The website pages don’t show the 5th column for lead (Pb), but the printout view shows the 5th column for lead. I’m not the only one who has observed this problem. Please correct the charts to display that 5th column for lead (Pb). Thank you.
Hello. First: Thanks for all you do. I was wondering why you didn’t test Costco’s Kirkland Brand of Pink Himalayan. Can you tell me?
I second the motion, analyzing Costco table salt and pink salt would be helpful, especially since they are massively consumed by not just individuals but used by the restaurant industry serving many.
Also, I am concerned about the way samples are taken. I’m a scientist by training and when we attempt an analysis, we would normally split a sample from one production and do the same for at least 2 or 3 more productions.
From each of the split samples, we have positive controls (where we know the amount of heavy metals to make sure the assay is working properly) , negative controls, where we have no products, and samples given to the labs are labeled in a way such that the tester has no knowledge of what they are to reduce bias.
I just purchased an 8 lb. container of Evolution Salt Co. Gourmet Pink Himalayan Salt (course grind). The company is based in Austin, TX, and the salt comes from Pakistan. Should I toss it?
I go by my inner guidance for which I have had a lot of validation over 30 years. When I test/ask, I “get”(spiritually) that the Evolution pink Himalayan salt is the best for me and the cleanest. I use it for all of my food needs. Some of the salts I test don’t even show up as being what they say they are! I get that there is more heavy metal contamination in the Celtic grey salt, but have just begun to use it in the way suggested by Barbara O’Neill, because of the higher content of magnesium, just a couple of grains before drinking water to enable to body to absorb more water into the cells. I am curious to find out whether I become better hydrated and can cut down on my usual very high need to take magnesium capsules around the clock (to avoid horrific cramps and restless legs).
Refined salt is terrible for me. If forced to use it (rare because I carry a container of Himalayan salt in my purse), it doesn’t even taste like salt. It tastes bitter and harsh and I end up using too much and it also causes edema (swelling) in my body. If you don’t know about the dangers of refined salt, do research it.
I don’t see anything in the article that states what the sample size was. Are these results for what was found in 100g? 1000g? 500mg? 1 ounce? 1 tablespoon?
I have the same question. How much salt would I have to ingest to get this much lead?
What about non-U.S. salt products from Canada and Europe. I use Maison Orphee Grey Salt and would love to have seen many more salts tested.
How about the Mercola Himalaya salt?
Thanks for picking out the time to discuss this, I feel great about it and love studying more on this topic. It is extremely helpful for me. Thanks for such a valuable help again
Thank you for this.
What doea this number mean?
Morton iodize salt 11.967 PB IN PPB
Also Jacobsen salt has aluminum 1.690 PPM. I have been using this salt for the last 3 years. I wonder if that’s what caused my kid aluminum levels to get rise slightly?. It is such a expensive salt.
RE: What does this number mean? Morton iodize salt 11.967 PB IN PPB
– “PB” is the elemental abbreviation for lead. “PPM” stands for parts per million.
There are so many sources of aluminum we are exposed to the salt is most likely only one source. You may know this but if you want to reduce your child’s aluminum levels have them drink silica rich mineral water, 3 to 4 cups a day. There are many waters which have enough silica to remove aluminum, Fiji, Spritzer and Gerlosteiner and you can also make your own Silicade. If you want to learn more check out my husband’s (Dennis N Crouse) and my website site Prevent Alzheimer’s, Autism and Stroke. We also have blogs on blogger, you tube channels, and facebook pages.
Hi
What’s the you tube channel name intrested thx
I would be interested to know the results for French Grey Sea Salt (I buy it from the San Francisco Salt Company). The course grain is more wet and grey than the fine grain which appears to be more refined. So testing should be on the course grain.
I knew that French/Celtic sea salt and Pink H salt were bad and had lead. I have been loyally using Jacobson’s salt and also Saltwerk salt as previous studies stated that these had less lead. Glad that they make the “good list” but not so happy to see they still have alum, arsenic and cadmium. Sigh. I would not get the ones with iodine if you ask me – toxic.
I agree
How would iodine not be nutritive in these amounts?
I have recently discovered Watkins brand seasonings, and love the flavors. Now I am questioning all their products. Ugh.
Was hoping to find the bad list here. Any word on Redmond sea salt?
I am a holistic Equine hoof care practitioner. Redmond salt is marketed to the Equine community. I have done a lot of study on this as well as some of my peers. Salt is an important supplement for horses. But it has to be the right kind. Blocks and rocks are more for cows with coarse tongues. Horses should have loose granular salt because they have smooth tongues. Although this post is about heavy metals in salt, there are other imbalances that can occur and cause symptoms as well. “Red” means “iron”. Copper, zinc, manganese, selenium and iron all compete with the same cell receptors. There are many areas where there is too much iron in the ground, water, feed, hay and supplements. (There are maps online with this information) For us it could be the red clay our food is grown in or where our water comes from. When there is too much iron (iron overload), the other competing minerals are washed out of the body and not utilized. Iron overload is a problem with horses in certain areas. We have found that by adding the other essential competing minerals in comparable levels, the iron becomes balanced and all are absorbed equally. The symptoms disappear when balance is reached. Search Dr. Zach Bush for more in depth information on salt.
Having grandchildren, I am grateful for Mamavation for doing all these studies. I look at these tests as more information to make better choices as well as new opened doors to learning more about how and with what we nourish ourselves and our families with. Keep going everyone!
It is somewhat odd that the “safest” brands are mainstream brands–Morton, Hain, Diamond… I have been using Himalayan pink salt for years because of trace mineral content. I’m pretty sure that the mainstream brands don’t contain healthy levels of trace minerals. So this is quite a bummer…
That’s how I feel too. My functional med doctor recommended Redmonds Real Salt and I switched from Morton’s which is in the ND category.
How would iodine not be nutritive in these amounts?
I have so much Redmond and I’m so disappointed. I don’t even know anymore. I don’t know what to get.
Not Detected
Exactly my thoughts ????
Thank you for this testing. What about Morton Himalayan salt? I wanted to try Himalayan or Celtic for their trace minerals and great health benefits I’ve heard about. I guess I’ll stick to Morton Iodized for cooking and try the Morton sea salt flakes in my water for hydration.
I am wondering the same thing!
Keep this in mind. There are no “great” health benefits – they are absolutely minimal. There are other ways to get trace minerals.
It looks to me, in my unscientific opinion, like the more processed it is, the less stuff that’s in it because the more content has been removed, including the good stuff like the minerals.
I would be interested to know how the amount of the chemicals listed compared to other natural foods and things to understand the degree.
So what salt do you use Leah?
I have been using Redmonds sea salt for years thinking that it is as good as it gets.
How can you say that when it tested poorly. That is ignorance. The great Salt Lake is the most contaminated place where they worry about the dust and bed exposure everyday due to arsenic in the air and more. I wouldn’t touch anything from there.
Redmond Real Salt doesn’t come from the Great Salt Lake:) Its comes from an ancient sea bed in Redmond Utah, far far away from the Great Salt Lake
I actually tried to go visit the Redmond Sea Salt mine when I drove through Utah in 2016. Apparently I was the first “customer” to ever ask to see it, way back then. They said no because its just too primitive and not safe for regular visitors.
I’m wondering if anyone else has considered the type of lead found in the salt…Whether organic or inorganic. I was reading an article from wellness mama about lead in clay and she explained the differences between the two types and that if the heavy metal in question (lead in this case) is already bound, it doesn’t pose a health threat. So, I’m thinking that the grey Celtic salt is super high because it’s dried in clay beds, isn’t that lead already bound and will not be released in the body? Just trying to get to the bottom of this. Anyone else actually tested themselves? I think we might do that next for piece of mind.
same, but for the Celtic. this was so disappointing to read!
Me too
Same !
Falksalt Himalayan and their plain sea salt flakes please! Fleur De Guerande (French, hand harvested) oh I have a long list …we looove our salt heh. Thank you!!
Yesss plss
We just purchased a lot of Redmond’s and Celtic Sea Salt on Barbara O’Neill’s recommendation. Spent quite a lot of money on tainted salt thinking it was the safest. I am shocked and dismayed! Which brand is the safest and the cheapest now that I have wasted all this money and will need to replace the salt we bought.
Same! I thought Celtic sea salt was supposed to be fabulous. And Redmond’s. Sigh…
This has to be a joke how can Morton’s iodized table salt be better? I’m sorry but I feel like the list with the good salt is actually the bad salt.
Thanks
So Fleur De Guerande is okay to consume?
My guess is that the refined salts don’t have as much heavy metals because they are removed or lessened in the refining process along with the minerals which are also heavy metals.
Seems he same to me. Such a let down. The good salt companies should test their own salt for safety, then filter out the heavy metals. We don’t want highly refined salt from big conglomerates. We want the good trace minerals and to support the better companies.
ugh.
I’m with you Emma. Mortons’ is HIGH in aluminum. I know because I am highly allergic to aluminum and even their sea salt gave me a severe reaction.
Key quote from early in this article:
“The good news is no salt product came back with the equivalent levels that would require a Prop. 65 warning based on serving size per day.“
And ‘ca lif or nia’ seems to be overly cautious with warnings.
I had typed lots more to take into consideration, but the page refreshed and I had to start over. Not wasting time letting that happen again.
I know your pain, I just did the same with Redmonds. I’m so ???? mad.
Yes I agree. I’ve spent way too much money on these highly recommended salts. Redmonds and Celtic. Thank you for bringing this to our attention.
PS please add what do the abbreviations at top each chart mean (AL,AS etc)
They are the element symbols for the different contaminants. Al- aluminum, As- arsenic, Cd- cadmium, Hg- mercury, Pb- lead
I don’t see the category for lead? What am I missing? Looking at Diamond Crystal in the best salt products grouping, could someone explain?
It’s the last column on the right.
Was it just the refined celtic salt or is the coarse grey celtic sea salt included? I contacted the company.selina naturally and they told me that the Makai pure celtic sea salt had no heavy metals metals metals at all.
Makai pure tested for very low levels, however when asked regarding microplastics it seems they do will not disclose the content which I believe translates to containing it. In AU we have Lake Deborah sea salt which is the only that I’ve found to have no detectable levels of heavy metals or microplastics.
Al = Aluminum, As = Arsenic Hg, = Mercury, Cd = Cadmium, Pb = Lead
I am looking for a healthy source of trace minerals I am not getting now, and that is why i was looking at these salts. Your research is huge and impressive and useful! However my immediate question of course is how do all these salts compare with respect to their ingredients. I have been looking at some in the supermarket and noticing they do not list trace minerals at all.
I believe the company called upgraded formulas has minerals. They also provide hair analysis that is well respected within the functional medicine community that I am a part of. The analysis will also show if there are deficiencies in minerals.
Great content on your site, Leah! Thank you for this work!
I see a lot of replies here asking for other products to be tested including the brands I use. I also see some manufacturers did not respond to you.
How can we, your growing set of followers, best leverage our collective power to drive industry towards safer products and greater transparency? For example, do you have a template we can use when we contact manufacturers of what to ask for?
Also, do you have a template we can use when we contact our legislators? Think about what can be accomplished with the power of the thousands of moms outraged by learning the myriad ways we are slowly poisoning our children. Legislation demanding greater transparency? Stronger regulation? Funding for independent testing?
Good ideas!!
And targeting the companies that pollute so much in the first place. Especially big Ag and big Pharma, of which billionaires and politicians have earned massive fortunes from.
thank you for your comment, I totally agree!
touched a nerve me thinks!
What about Hawaiian Alaea Red sea salt? It had iron oxide, and 80 natural natural elements, electrolytes and trace minerals of potassium and magnesium. Red alaea clay is extracted from the veins between the layers of lava rock. sodium chloride is.84%
What about SoSalt? Sicilian sea salt?
What about Gadesal salt?
Have been using Natierra for more than 3 years. Would also love to know if it is safe.
I’ve been using Natierra as well and would love to know.
BS”D
You’re fantastic!
Donated and will again. Keep those analyses coming PLEASE!
Would love to know if Colima salt supposedly from a lake in Mexico, is as clean as they claim, please.
Same!
same!
Dammit. They ARE trying to poison us! ????
No they’re not! It’s a by product of being civilized and uneducated about the consequences of manufacturing and industry. Recall supply vs demand. If YOU didn’t buy any products they wouldn’t be manufactured but then you too want to live by modern standards! Businesses are first motivated to fill a need, make money and then (cover up) worry about negative consequences. It’s not always a conspiracy!
Ummm yes they are!!! And this ain’t no conspiracy. They been spraying our air food and water for years. Wake up barb!
Yes, Bee, that is Very TRUE!!… And NOT conspiracy theories. Chem Trails that the planes have been spraying all over cities for MANY years, along with ALL the toxins, GMOs, additives, etc. in all of the packaged foods for MANY years, and toxic chemicals are in most tap water!! I hear in some states, they want to convert sewage water to tap water!! Do your research!! Please people wake up and smell the stench of toxins and poisons real soon!!
“Chem Trails that the planes have been spraying all over”
Um, you mean contrails, which are a simple natural phenomenon due to water vapor condensing in cold air? Do you know anything about science, or just paranoid conspiracy theories?
Sounds like Rob missed the whole geoengineering program the USA is currently part of…shame.
It started back in the 1950’s and really ramped up during the Viet Nam war.
https://www.geoengineeringmonitor.org/
Thats the absolute truth deb.people need to wake up and look up.
Our trees are dying too!
They DO convert sewage water into tap water!
I was under the impression that Redmonds was the best around…guess I need to rethink that.
They are trying to poison us…I’ve been watching chem trails for many years now. What are they spraying? Why do so many people think they are clouds or trails from commercial airliners? Look up and you tell me what it’s all about.
It’s evil is what it’s all about 🙁
Totally right. There are tons of data and whistleblowers now. They are evil and deserve hell. Is we all come together as one they will be done is days.
Deb,
I agree with your post 100%! Only thing I would add is the doctors and Big Pharmacy as well!
A farmer in Idaho was recently interviewed and said his soil is so contaminated from the chemtrails that he doesn’t know if his crops will grow!
These aren’t conspiracy theories! Wake up people!
I think we disagree on what comprises a conspiracy. Profiting from systems that harm of others is ethically unthinkable.
Has anyone noticed that these toxins now in salt and virtually everywhere in/on the entire planet are major components of batteries??? ???????? My parents and my generation have spent decades throwing them in the trash,landfills, is it any wonder???
A bigger culprit would be chem trails which contain aluminum and cadmium but not sure about arsenic. What I found on batteries does not match up with the metals being found in salt. The battery chemistry that powers every Energizer® alkaline battery is a precise combination of zinc, high-density manganese dioxide, and potassium hydroxide.
Lithium-ion batteries – main substances needed will be the chemical elements graphite, cobalt, lithium, manganese and nickel.
I’d like to see Costco’s Kirkland pink salt tested since that is a common one that Costco shoppers buy. Also, Azure Standard has a pink salt and sea salt that they sell under their brand name. Thanks for the work you are doing!
I was looking for the Costco Kirkland rating also.
Same. Iodized salt is not a good option in my understanding even if it is cleaner.
Actually,after reading books (on Iodine) by Dr. Brownstein and Lynne Farrrow. Celtic sea salt was recommended and they did testing as well, but this web sites testing may be more current. But no way is Morton’s Iodized salt good, when you look at how it is processed with chemicals even to make it white, and iodine has to be added to it! I’ve not tried all the various salts, but I liked Redmond’s better than Selina Naturally Celtic Sea Salt. Just getting away from Morton’s iodized salt helped my health.
So now I’m really confused. The salts with the lowest heavy mental seem to have high microplastics and the salt with low microplastics seem to have high levels of heavy metals. Where can I find one with both low counts of heavy meals and microplastics?
I buy azure’s salt. Looks like its from Pakistan. Not sure of testing levels though.
Also would love to know about kirkland brand!
Yes indeed
GEO ENGINEERING WATCH.COM
They are spraying our skies
Look up its rarely blue.
Pay attention!
Thank you so much for this report Leah :)!
Wondering if you had a chance to test Crucial Four Icelandic Salt?
You rock!
Yes please! Would love results from crucial four if tested !
Which Salt Is Safest To Consume??????????♀️
Yes would love to know about crucial four Icelandic salt.
Thanks for posting this. Maybe in the future you could test A Vogel Herbamare sea salt. Been using it for the last 15 years.
Please rate Dr. Berg baja gold sea salt from Mexico, naturally harvested from the Sea of Cortez. Has the minerals and trace element profile for health. Good for hydration and no micro-plastics!
She did. It’s the same as the Baja Gold under the worst list.
I recently found out about Diamond Crystal flake salt – how it’s the one most restaurants use / it’s not as strongly salty as non-flaked salt so you have to use more – but it’s good – it permeates the food well – Now I see here it’s non toxic. Yay! It’s not cheap and I had to order a big box from Amazon – but I’m glad to have a good supply of non toxic salt!
~ Many thanks for your insightful posts on what to avoid in our food & spices. However, I did not see any ratings for Morton Coarse Kosher Salt or McCormick’ Himalayan Pink Salt Grinder. If I didn’t know any better (but do!), I believe they’re trying to kill us all! Thank you, your hard work is greatly appreciated. ~
Is the Diamond Crystal Sea Salt one that’s safe or just the kosher salt? I do want all the minerals that sea salt offers. Are they in kosher?
Was Crucial Four salt tested?
I live in Europe and sadly we don’t have any website like Mamavation to run tests. I wonder if there any general guidelines we can follow when buying salt (such as country of origin) to minimize our exposure?
Do you have any results for Riega Himalayan Salt or Wild Pink Himalayan Salt. I wrote the companies to get the report. Thank you.
Becca
You didn’t test the course grey celtic sea salt. The celtic company told me that their salt tests very low for toxic heavy metals. Salt tested by both their lab and an independent lab. ??
This is the salt I use and love! I’d love to have third-party verification of their claim!
I didn’t see Baja Gold Salt Co. on your list.
Which brand is this? Brittany?
Colima is plastic free; any other info?
I’d also like to see Colima salt tested!
Ditto for Colima sea salt! Thanks 🙂
Hi Leah!
As alarming as these reports are, it is such important information! I just threw out an entire bag of Selina Naturally Coarse Celtic Sea Salt! I have also been buying Natierra Himalayan Fine Pink Salt for years and would really love it if you would test that also.
Thank you so much!
Trish
I’ve also been using Natierra for the last 10 years and would like to know as well
I’ve been using Natierra as well and would love to know.
Why don’t you and others who have been eating various types of salts for years get tested for heavy metals? LabCorp and quest diagnostics have test panels for heavy metals. If you’re blood and urine doesn’t show heavy metal contamination then the salt is fine — no need to throw it. Cost for heavy metals test is about $100, $200 (+). Certainly, it would be a worthwhile investment. Contamination is not only occurring from the salt we eat, but from various foods and other vectors. So folks, before you throw out your expensive salts, go get yourself tested for heavy metals.
What a great thought! This comment is inspiring me to order a test for myself.
So this means no Himalayan or pink mineral salts passed the test? :,( What about Redmond salt or Impact Utah mineral salt? Very discouraging thinking we are buying the best for our families 🙁 Thank you for doing this!
Wow. Looks like we will be throwing out our supposed Real salt lol
Good to know as we use a lot.
Thank you!!!
She won’t release her “verified” 3rd party testing, but Redmond will, I trust them a lot more than someone making claims with “testing” that we don’t know anything about, Redmond will send you all their facts, all verified, reach out to them and you will see.
This is reassuring..thanks. I thought they were the best with all their verified testing..
What about Redmond’s Real Kosher Salt?
Thank you very much for this Leah, this is very useful info to be aware of!
THANK YOU for posting clear and accurate information!!! And thank you for taking the time to care enough to do this research! As the mother of a lead-poisoned toddler, we’ve been on this lead-free journey for 7 years now. Things like salt slip in without us even knowing, so I appreciate your factual research!
Have you tried testing Colima salt?
I was hoping to see results for that salt also!
This is all disturbing. We have been using Celtic sea salt and would have loved to see it included as it is the most highly touted product for containing the most trace minerals, the very minerals that support cellular hydration.
It was included. We just used their entire name. If you go back and look now, we shortened their name to “Celtic Sea Salt” to make it more recognizable for everyone.
It would have been nice to see the Eden Foods salts tested. They do one from the protected Isle of Noirmoutier (France) and one from environmentally-protected marshes in southern Portugal’s Algarve region. Both are hand-harvested from protected areas.
I’d also be interested in Eden, we buy many of their products.
Yes!