Social media spreads nonsense
DEAR DR. BLONZ >> I heard a lecturer on TikTok stating that an organic tomato can have nine times the iron of a conventionally grown tomato. Is this correct?
Where do they come up with this stuff? An organically grown medium tomato and a conventionally grown tomato will each provide about .3 mg of iron. I'm posting your question because the more salient issue here is the growing enormity of health nonsense on social media — sometimes presented in engaging lectures by people who appear to know what they are talking about and to have genuine credentials.
When you come across something that runs contrary to logic, demand objective evidence rather than accepting the word of someone on social media. Don't be swayed by people who call themselves “doctor” or post too many positive comments. Fake degree certifications are on the rise — and with artificial intelligence, it is likely to get worse; a content creator can generate multiple comments of admiration under different names to make it look like others support what they say. Always verify that concepts are evidence-based and that the proponents have legitimate academic training in the field in which they present themselves as experts.
DEAR DR. BLONZ >> I appreciate your article on sea salt, but an argument against table salt is the presence of additives. I know they iodize table salt by adding a compound containing iodine, which is not a problem, but why are they adding other compounds, such as calcium silicate and silicon dioxide? I have no problem with blood pressure and use salt on occasion. Would I be better off using a natural or sea salt where these compounds are not present?
— T.S., East Orange,
New Jersey
DEAR T.S. >> There are a couple of items to consider. First, crystals of sodium chloride, the essential ingredient of table salt, absorb moisture from the air and form clumps over time. Salt affected would have a hard time making it out of a shaker. Restaurants used to put small oyster crackers in salt shakers to prevent clumping, eventually switching to dried rice.
Another method is to add tiny amounts of anticaking compounds, such as calcium silicate or silicon dioxide, which absorb moisture before it can clump the salt. These anti-caking substances are harmless at the levels used. (Silicon dioxide is the same compound in sand and quartz crystals.) It's up to you — you can opt for a free-flowing product, or one that needs a bit more of a shake. You will note that sea salt crystals tend to be larger than table salt crystals.
Any discussion of table salt versus sea salt should also consider that salt from seawater will contain small amounts of other minerals and substances from the water, which can include heavy metals or microplastics.