The Difference Between Redmond Real Salt, Celtic, and Himalayan Salt
Article at a Glance:
- Real Salt, Celtic, and Himalayan are all unrefined sea salt with very similar mineral content.
- Celtic salt comes from evaporated ocean water along the coast of France.
- Himalayan salt comes from any of dozens of salt mines in Pakistan.
- Real Salt is harvested from an ancient underground salt deposit in Utah.
We’re going to do something today most companies don’t like to do: we’re going to say nice things about the competition.
No, that doesn’t mean we’re going to be kind to that bitter, chemically treated white table salt you still find in far too many kitchens, because if you understand the health benefits of Real Salt you already know that Real Salt and table salt aren’t really the same product. But we are going to answer a question we hear a lot when people are considering their salt options: What’s the difference between Redmond Real Salt, and Celtic or Himalayan salt?
(Are you wondering why we’re only talking about Celtic and Himalayan? It’s because we are, first and foremost, salt lovers, and if for some reason Real Salt didn’t exist, Celtic and Himalayan are really the only other salts we’d consider using.)
Here’s a handy chart that will show you some of the differences at a glance.
Real Salt
Real Salt is an all-natural, unrefined sea salt harvested from an ancient ocean. It’s full of natural minerals that make it healthy, delicious, and pink or red looking, and though we do hate to boast, we’re also the best-selling brand in America’s health food stores. Our salt deposit is in Redmond, Utah where our team enjoys award-winning work conditions and generous pay – and since we own and control the whole process you can be sure Real Salt comes to you through our world-class production facilities in its unrefined, mineral-rich, delicious state, exactly as nature intended.
Celtic Sea Salt
Celtic Salt is a great salt harvested from the current ocean in France. They do a terrific job with their salt, harvesting it by hand and leaving it unprocessed so it contains those important trace minerals. Compared to Real Salt, the biggest difference is that the current ocean is exposed to many anthropogenic environmental issues that ancient seas never experienced – things like mercury, lead, plastic, petroleum toxins and other man-made chemicals. It's a very wet salt, which makes for some amazing texture and flavor combinations. We like the idea of salt that comes from an ancient sea, before man-made pollution was prevalent, but Celtic is a great option.
Himalayan Pink
Like Real Salt, the Himalayan brands are harvested from an ancient salt deposit that would have been created long before there were any modern toxins. Geologically, the Himalayan deposit is very similar to Real Salt; they both have the full spectrum of minerals and both can be considered crystal salts. Tasted side by side, Real Salt is a bit sweeter, while Himalayan tends toward an earthy flavor.
The big difference between Real Salt and Himalayan is geography. Real Salt comes from the USA (Redmond, Utah), and the Himalayan deposits are in and around Khewra, Pakistan. There are a number of different mines supplying the Himalayan brands, and some have more modern standards than others. Himalayan salt has to travel more than 7,000 miles just to make it to America, with all the environmental impacts that come with that. Real Salt not only has to travel a shorter distance, but our operations in Redmond are powered by our two large solar fields, reducing our environmental impact even more.
Generally, Real Salt is half the cost (we’re so glad we don’t have to ship it from Pakistan!) and we know you can always trust the quality, processes, and labor policies that bring Real Salt to your kitchen.
Salt Source Map
Use this map to get an idea where three of the top unrefined sea salts come from.
Still not sure which salt is right for you? If you’re closer to Pakistan than you are to Utah, we think a Himalayan salt could be your best choice. And you can always take the Real Salt taste test: First try Real Salt, then try whatever salt you used to use. The difference will amaze you!
Comments (138)
People keep talking about Baja Good salt. How does your compare?
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Redmond Life:
Hi Allie. The main difference between Baja Gold and Real Salt is that Baja Gold is harvested from modern ocean water in Mexico using an evaporation process, and Real Salt is mined from an ancient sea salt deposit in Redmond, Utah. You can learn more about our mining process on our website: https://redmond.life/pages/mine-to-table
My husband and I discovered the amazing Real Salt difference while exploring some of Utah’s backroads not too far from our home over 20 years ago. We stopped at a small diner and the only salt on the table was Real Salt. We tried it on its own and then on our food—we were hooked! When we asked the waitress where we could get some, she happily replied, “Oh, we sell it at the counter, right next to the register.” We bought a few bottles because it wasn’t yet available in stores, except those in and around Redmond. I’m in Northern California now where Real Salt is available in natural food stores and customers are promoting it to our local Safeway grocery store, which uses a lot of organic and natural foods at the request of customers. I like to shop the website to get the full range of Real Salt products. Thank you Real Salt!
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Redmond Life replied:
What a great story! Thanks for going on this journey with us, Janine!
Hello, does the real salt contain any iodine , natural occurring or otherwise ?
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Redmond Life replied:
Hi Lisa, thanks for the question. Real Salt does not have any added iodine but does have trace amounts of naturally occurring iodine. Roughly 18-23 micrograms per each ¼ teaspoon serving.
I see that your product contains trace amounts of flouride, aluminum and lead. Can you please speak to the safety of consuming your product specifically in regards to these toxic elements? This is a tad bit confusing when considering you make a toothpaste which specifically does NOT contain flouride. Thank you so much.
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Redmond Life replied:
Hi Matt, great question! Because Real Salt is totally unrefined, it does contain trace amounts of naturally occurring elements, including some heavy metals, but these are very different from human-made heavy metals. The trace elements in Real Salt are bound to other elements and present in a natural inert form that is generally considered safe. For us, the trade-off between some unwanted trace elements and the simple and clean purity of an all-natural product is worth it, but we respect everyone’s individual choices in their pursuit of health. You can find more information about the trace minerals in Real Salt here on our website.
