I'd also wonder why it was a "temporary" change.

Same here...what required a "temporary" change.

Does not sound good to me. Gotta do some research and see if there's any record of contamination or something. Really strange.

It begs me to ask why are you buying iodized salt? I understand why it used to be sold, but respectfully, what's the benefit in today's food chain?

I agree with compumom about buying iodized salt. I haven't purchased any in well over 30-years..... There's plenty of iodine found in foods: salt water fish, yogurt, eggs, milk, just to mention a few of the common ones. And if you use processed foods, there is probably plenty of iodized salt in most of it.

I use kelp as a salt substitute and seasoning, and a variety of other seaweed products in cooking, which is some of the best sources for iodine, since it's naturally occurring.

-Grainlady

I'm not a fish or yogurt eater, though I do like eggs & milk. And actually, I use very little processed food except cheese & crackers. Is there something inherently wrong with iodine that I have missed? I just did a quick search & didn't find anything, though I did see iodine is necessary for normal thyroid function.

Kathleen

I don't really use iodized salt anymore either, except as a drain opener, but I'd ask the opposite. Is there something wrong with using it?

It's not necessarily "wrong"..... it's a choice, with reasons.

-When iodine is added to salt it's a pure chemical form. When you do home food storage, during a lengthy time in storage, iodized salt can turn an odd color of tan to yellow.

-Because it's a pure chemical, it's not a complex as it is found in food form in nature.

-I prefer high-mineral natural sea salt, such as Celtic Sea Salt or Himalayan Sea Salt, to salt with an additive that can be found in natural foods.

-Iodized salt shouldn't be used for home canning.

-Refined table salt has been stripped of most of it's minerals, otherwise it would already have at least some iodine in it, which high-mineral Celtic salt has.

-I think boxed processed table salt has a bad taste, which you've just experienced.

-High-mineral natural sea salt is often suggested for yeast and naturally-leavened breads because the minerals aid the yeast growth. High-mineral salt is also suggested for fermenting, over iodized table salt.

-Grainlady

Grainlady, As always, thanks for the education. I have a variety of salts and of late, none are iodized table salt so good for me.

Interesting article

Iodine is essential for the development of the brain as it is needed to build some of the body's hormones. A severe deficiency is the leading cause of preventable brain damage in the world.

It was mainly thought of as a problem in developing countries, yet previous studies have also suggested that some women in the UK are mildly deficient. The impact of low-level deficiency was, however, previously unknown.....

The study showed that iodine deficiency was common - affecting two-thirds of women.

Their children went on to have slightly lower IQs at the age of eight and worse reading ability aged nine......

... iodine levels in organic milk are 42% lower than in regular milk, adding that if pregnant women are drinking organic milk, "they need to drink more of it".

Women were warned not to take seaweed pills, as they contain too much iodine.

Here is a link that might be useful: Iodine deficiency

I eat lots of seaweed (mostly wakame) - I wonder if I am getting too much iodine. At any rate, I have not bought iodized salt for more than 20 years - I use mostly sea salt and occasionally Kosher salt, but then I also eat a lot of seafood and a fair amount of yogurt. I especially like Japanese seaweed salad, but I keep dried wakame on hand and add it to a lot of the soups that I make. Most of the salt that I consume comes from soy sauce, I think, or foods that already have salt added to them.

Lars

When I use it, I use sea salt or, specified "canning" salt. Think I changed years ago because I thought sea salt would have more beneficial minerals.

It wasn't my intent to imply that it was wrong, rather I was asking why you chose iodized rather than kosher salt or sea salt- the less processed alternatives. Since being educated here on the CF thanks to Grainlady, LindaC, AnnT, Annie, and many other fine cooks, I only keep Morton's salt on hand for the little baking or for cleaning purposes. When cooking, I use a variety of other salt options from Penzeys, Trader Joe's and others.

35 years ago I remember being told that people living near a coast or fish eaters don't require added iodine, the soil used to grow fruits and veggies would provide adequate amounts.

This post was edited by compumom on Wed, May 22, 13 at 17:55

I'm getting another food lesson here about salt.

I have both regular ionized salt. Use in recipes when ever its called for.

I have mortons coarse kosher salt. I heard it was good for baked potatos (cover in oil and salt) but no one hear really likes.

I'm really confused now, what should I be using?

debrak-

Perhaps this link to the Cook's Thesaurus will give you a view of different kinds of salt and help clear the confusion. Once you start looking at different kinds of salt, it will become a new kitchen adventure to have fun with. :-)

-Grainlady

Here is a link that might be useful: Cook's Thesaurus - SALT

I sometimes use Himalayan Rock salt, which is supposed to have all kinds of minerals.

dcarch

debra, different salts have different sizes of grains, so they measure differently than table salt too. I find that the kosher salts and those with larger particles give you a big "hit" of salt when eaten, and I like salt, but not that much, usually.

I also can't really tell the difference in taste unless I use the salt at the end of my dish, as "finishing salt". Then the flavors of the mineral salts come through.

I have some kosher salt, some table salt, some fleur de sel, some pink Himalayan stuff, some very fine gray sea salt powder sent to me by Readinglady. If I put it in a pot of soup, it's all pretty much the same but if I sprinkle it on my baked potato before eating, I can tell the difference.

Sometimes you really do need more iodine, Elery has an Aunt in Tennessee who has a goiter because of iodine deficiency and the World Health Organization says "In 2007, nearly 2 billion individuals had insufficient iodine intake, a third being of school age. ... Thus iodine deficiency, as the single greatest preventable cause of mental retardation, is an important public-health problem.

That's why iodine was added to salt originally, because inland and/or mountainous regions had large population numbers of people with iodine deficiency.

I don't think it's a health hazard to have it in salt, but if you don't need it, you can easily buy your salt without added iodine. I also tend to buy kosher or sea salt because if I'm canning something there are additives in table salt that cause brine to be cloudy and the additives sink to the bottom of the jars, causing sediment.

Annie

My doctor scolded me when I told him I wasn't eating Iodized salt anymore which caused my thyroid to act up. He told me to start eating it again and that should fix me up and it did, that was 20 years ago and I've had no thyroid issues since! Certainly a more healthy choice than iodized salt can be found but I don't think many of us eat seaweed...HAHAHA!

Yep sooz, my thyroid was swollen or palpable as he said.

I have been using Hain iodized seasalt. I like the taste better than Morton's. I was told by our family doctor to use iodized salt as we mainly eat a vegetarian diet. I have also started a few different salts in the last several months and quite like the flavor. Celtic sea salt for baking, fleur de sel for salads, Himalayan sea salt or truffle salt for eggs.

This is an interesting article. I am really ignorant about salt even though I it's a kitchen essential for me. Thanks for the salt manual. I always buy iodized salt as since I was 18 years old I have been in the health field and many physicians always pointed out that even here close to the coast we can get deficient in iodine so it's a good idea to use iodized salt. I like sea salt but don't use it as the main salt as the package doesn't mention iodine or anything else. I always thought it should have iodine and minerals naturally so I don't put it on the table You learn something all the time on this forum.

I just came across this article which you may
find interesting about consuming salt and health.

DH is a big salt eater, I use it moderately. I have to watch my blood pressure so I watch my salt intake and diet. He has always had low blood pressure and adds salt to everything. He loves potato chips, popcorn and salted nuts.

Here is a link that might be useful: News article about salt study