A study published in Environmental Science and Technology (was also on National Geographic) revealed that 90% of commercial salt brands tested from around the world were contaminated with plastics!! Expensive sea salt brands does not mean lower chance of contamination either! Depending on the brand and the country the salt came from, the contamination may be rather serious. The plastics found in these salts are called “microplastics” which means they are impossible to see in the salt and they can cause major damage to the body as they are highly toxic.
I suggest doing a salt test with the salt that you have until you can find a brand that is clean and plastic free! Brian vasily, Author of ‘The Art of Anti-Aging’ shares his method for how to test your salt for plastic. Below are his instructions.
Materials:
-1/2 cup very warm (not boiling) water
-2 tablespoons sea salt
-White filter paper (coffee filter)
-Clear container for dissolving, preferably glass
-Coffee cup or bowl to hold filter paper
*For better results, you can double the amount of water and salt to 1 cup water and 4 tablespoons salt.*
Directions:
-Heat the water to boiling then let it cool for a few minutes.
-Dissolve the salt completely in the very warm water. The solution should be clear and colorless.
-Place your white filter paper in a coffee cup or bowl so that you can pour the very warm solution through the filter without losing it or burning yourself.
-Carefully and slowly pour the solution through the filter paper.
-Allow the filter to dry a bit.
-Look for microplastics under bright light.
Notes:
-Salt crystals usually form around a microscopic dust particle so it is likely you will see this dust in the filter. That is normal. What isn’t normal are specks of colored or white plastic. You can
use your phone to take a picture of the filter and then zoom in to see better.