Both humans and animals require salt to survive. Domestic animals often fall ill if they do not receive enough, which is why farmers provide salt licks. Wild animals, too, instinctively seek out natural salt sources to meet their needs.

However, in today’s world, salt is widely overused—especially by the food industry. Because it enhances flavour and increases the addictive quality of food, excessive amounts are added to packaged and restaurant foods. This makes it especially important to limit eating out and reduce consumption of processed foods, as they are almost always far saltier than necessary and can contribute to health problems.

Excess salt intake is commonly linked to high blood pressure because it causes the body to retain water. But there is an additional, growing concern: studies now show that nearly 90% of sea salt contains microplastics and other pollutants, a direct result of widespread ocean pollution. While switching to rock salt may reduce this exposure, the more important step is to consciously reduce overall salt intake.

So the question to ask is simple: is your food too salty?