11/05/2026
Sea Salt vs Sodium: What's the Difference?
At some point in your life, you've probably heard someone say "salt is bad for you" or "cut the salt or you'll get high blood pressure." It's one of the most enduring nutrition myths out there.
But here's the thing — salt and sodium are not the same thing. And where your sodium comes from matters enormously.
In this article, we'll break down the real science behind salt, explain why not all sodium is created equal, and share exactly why naturally evaporated sea salt is one of the two ingredients in every jar of Body Glue.
Salt vs Sodium: They're Not the Same Thing
Let's start with the basics, because this distinction is critical.
Salt (sodium chloride) is a natural mineral compound made up of sodium and chlorine. According to Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), salt is actually more chlorine than sodium by weight.
Sodium, on the other hand, is a chemical element — and it shows up in food in many different forms, most of them manufactured. There are over 15 different sodium compounds approved for use in Australian and New Zealand food manufacturing, including sodium nitrite, sodium phosphate, sodium benzoate, and others. Most are man-made. Many are used as preservatives, flavour enhancers, and emulsifiers in processed foods.
Here's where it gets important: under FSANZ regulations, the Nutrition Information Panel (NIP) on a food label groups all forms of sodium together — naturally occurring sodium, sodium from sea salt, and synthetic sodium additives are all lumped into one "Sodium" figure. So the number you see on the panel tells you nothing about where the sodium is coming from.
That's why reading the ingredient list is essential.
FSANZ tip: Ingredients must be listed in descending order by weight. If you're buying bone broth, make sure bones are at or near the top of that list — that's where the collagen comes from.
The Problem with "Sodium" in Processed Foods
Research consistently shows that the real sodium problem isn't salt on your dinner table — it's the sodium compounds added to packaged and processed foods.
A 2025 review published in Nutrients found that in high-income countries, the vast majority of dietary sodium comes from processed and ultra-processed foods — not from natural salt used in cooking or whole food preparation.
This is an important distinction. Studies associating high sodium intake with cardiovascular risk are largely looking at populations whose sodium intake is dominated by processed food additives — not people eating naturally occurring minerals from whole foods.
The WHO's global sodium reduction strategy specifically targets salt added to processed foods, not natural dietary sources. And a 2022 review in Cardiovascular Diabetology concluded that the science on sodium is far more nuanced than the old "salt = bad" narrative, noting that aggressive sodium restriction can actually be harmful in some populations.
Not All Salt Is Created Equal
When we talk about "salt," we're really talking about a spectrum of very different products. Here's a quick breakdown:
🧂Table Salt
The most heavily processed form of salt. Mined from underground deposits and then stripped of all trace minerals. Anti-caking agents like sodium silico aluminate or magnesium carbonate are added to stop clumping. Iodine is added in many countries. The result is a product that's almost 99.9% pure sodium chloride — with virtually no nutritional value beyond the sodium itself.
🧂Himalayan Salt
Mined from ancient seabeds in the Himalayan mountains using a mix of hand and machine methods. The minimal processing preserves trace minerals — including iron, which gives it the distinctive pink colour. Generally tested for heavy metal contamination before sale.
🧂Naturally Evaporated Sea Salt
Made the way nature intended: seawater is evaporated (often by solar energy), leaving behind crystals rich in naturally occurring minerals. Compared to table salt, evaporated sea salt retains meaningful levels of magnesium, potassium, calcium, and other trace minerals — and it's about 85–98% sodium chloride rather than the 99.9%+ of refined table salt.
This is the only salt we use in Body Glue. And it's not there by accident.
Why Evaporated Sea Salt Is Different
The minerals preserved in naturally evaporated sea salt aren't just flavour — they serve real physiological functions.
A peer-reviewed study published in PLOS ONE found that sea salt consumption led to significantly less hypertension and less kidney damage than refined salt — even at equivalent sodium levels. The researchers concluded the protective effect was likely driven by the anti-hypertensive minerals present in sea salt — particularly potassium, calcium, and magnesium — which are stripped out of refined table salt.
Here's what those minerals do in your body:
Magnesium supports muscle relaxation, reduces cramping, aids sleep quality, and helps regulate blood pressure
Potassium counterbalances sodium's effect on blood pressure and supports cardiovascular health
Calcium plays a role in bone health, muscle contraction, and cellular signalling
Trace minerals support electrolyte balance, nerve transmission, and metabolic function
Sodium itself — the element — is not a villain either. It's an essential mineral. It's required to maintain fluid balance, transmit nerve signals, support muscle contraction, and regulate blood pressure.
Research published in Nutrients (2023)confirms sodium plays a central role in cellular function — the issue is chronic overconsumption from processed food sources, not modest amounts from whole food contexts.
Why We Use Sea Salt in Body Glue
Body Glue has exactly two ingredients: 100% grass-fed and finished beef bones and naturally evaporated sea salt. That's it. No fillers, no flavourings, no hidden additives.
The sea salt in Body Glue serves three specific purposes:
1. Natural Preservation
Salt has been used to preserve animal-based foods for thousands of years. By reducing the water activity in the broth, it creates an environment where microbial growth is inhibited — allowing Body Glue to stay shelf-stable before opening and last up to 4 weeks in the fridge once opened. This is a traditional, functional role — not the same as synthetic preservatives added to processed foods.
2. Nutrient Extraction
The salt assists in drawing nutrients out of the bones during the slow cooking process, helping to maximise the collagen, amino acid, and mineral content of the final product. This is the same reason sea salt has been used in bone-based cooking for centuries.
3. Flavour and Palatability
Salt makes collagen-rich foods more palatable — helping the amino acids and minerals in Body Glue taste clean and natural rather than bland or gamey.
Reading the Label the Right Way
Because FSANZ regulations group all sodium types together on the NIP, a jar of Body Glue may appear high in sodium per 100g compared to other products. But context matters enormously:
Body Glue is a concentrate — 1 teaspoon (one serve) is stirred into a cup of hot water
A 390g jar makes 9.75 litres of broth across 39 serves
The sodium you're consuming per serve is a fraction of the per-100g figure shown on the panel
That sodium comes exclusively from naturally evaporated sea salt alongside collagen, amino acids, and natural minerals — not from synthetic sodium compounds
Comparing Body Glue's sodium figure to a ready-to-drink broth on a per-100g basis would be like comparing undiluted cordial to bottled water and concluding cordial has more sugar. The numbers aren't comparable without accounting for dilution.
The Bottom Line
The relationship between salt and health is far more nuanced than the headlines suggest. The sodium in ultra-processed foods — refined, stripped, synthetic — is a very different thing from the naturally occurring minerals in a whole food like Body Glue.
When you're reading a food label, don't just look at the sodium number. Look at where it's coming from. Read the ingredient list. Ask whether it's a concentrate. Ask what else comes with that sodium — because in Body Glue, it comes with collagen, amino acids, trace minerals, and nothing else.
That's a pretty different picture from a packet of chips.
References:
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ). Salt in Food.
FSANZ. Food Standards Code — Nutrition Information Panel Requirements, Standard 1.2.8. March 2025.
Mente A, et al. (2022). Salt, Not Always a Cardiovascular Enemy? A Mini-Review and Modern Perspective. Cardiovascular Diabetology.
Mozaffarian D, et al. (2025). Sodium — A Systematic Review. Nutrients.
Nordic Council of Ministers. (2023). Sodium — Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023. Nutrients.
Koo H, et al. Natural sea salt consumption confers protection against hypertension and kidney damage in Dahl salt-sensitive rats. PLOS ONE.
Baldo MP, et al. (2024). Hold the Salt: Dietary Sodium's Effect on Cardiovascular and Kidney Diseases. Frontiers in Nutrition.
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