The 5 Best Salts Low in Heavy Metals & Microplastics—My Pick After 120 Hours of Research

Part of my series on heavy metals in food—where these contaminants show up in everyday foods, and how to reduce your family's exposure.

After 120 hours of research into which salt is lowest in heavy metals and microplastics, the one I chose for my family is Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. It's among five salt products that have returned non-detect or low reported results in independent third-party testing—the others being Jacobsen Pure Kosher Sea Salt, Maldon Sea Salt Flakes, Saltverk Flaky Sea Salt, and Vera Salt.

Hey Detox Warriors!

In this episode, I continue to geek out on salt. In the last episode, I talked about what I learned after spending 60 hours researching the best salt products to avoid microplastics. Honestly, after I finished my research and writing my blog article about what I learned, I wondered, Was that just a complete waste of time because microplastics seems unavoidable in salt?

I knew I was drowning in 60 hours worth of research and it was time to move on. Also, because heavy metals were detected in the salt products that my family uses often, I was eager to dive into identifying the salt products with the least amount of heavy metals.

There was even more information available on heavy metals in salt than microplastics in salt! But, as always, information was conflicting so it was hard to arrive at conclusions. Since there were laboratory test results made available by manufacturers and independent parties, I organized all the test results I could find on 20 salt products, which you can see as Table 1 in my blog article that’s titled “Heavy Metals in Salt: Third-Party Test Results for 20 Salts—and the 5 With Non-Detect Levels.”

I was loooving this Table 1 because it helped me understand why I felt so confused and overwhelmed before creating Table 1: The information is very confusing and contradictory! Table 1 brings a lot of clarity and organized transparency to the salt products I encounter most often.

Before I share more about which salt product I’ve chosen for my family, I’d like to address four other questions that I was trying to answer:

1) What’s a rational level of concern over contaminants in salt?

As I studied heavy metals in salt, it began to feel very rational to avoid any heavy metal exposure when possible. Laboratory tests detected aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury in most salt products. You can see in Table 1 of the blog article, which I’ll link in the podcast show notes, that the levels of heavy metals can vary greatly. The thing is, these heavy metals are very toxic to the brain and nervous system, and some (like cadmium and lead) contribute to cancer development. Pregnant women and children should be especially protected from heavy metals because heavy metals can cause very serious damage to young, developing brains. It’s well-established, for example, that there is no detectable level of lead that’s been found safe for adults but especially children.

Furthermore, heavy metals can accumulate in us. Lead is stored in our bones for decades, for example, and can be released later in life or cause harm after reaching a tipping point.

And this body burden can affect our unborn children and shared with them in utero and through breastmilk (but the benefits of breastfeeding generally outweigh the risks from it).

2) What are the health risks from ingesting heavy metals with our salt?

I addressed some of the health risks already, which includes neurotoxicity and cancer.

There’s more though, like endocrine (or hormone) disruption.

And lead, for example, is considered “a systemic toxicant affecting virtually every organ system, [it] primarily affects the central nervous system,” and the developing brain is particularly vulnerable.

The effects on children can be seen much sooner and include neurocognitive and behavioral disorders, respiratory problems, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases (Muwaffak et al, 2019). On adults, the health outcomes from heavy metal toxicity depends on various things including which heavy metals you’re suffering from. Generally, they can harm your brain, nervous system, bones, and kidneys. If you’re concerned, please talk to your trusted healthcare practitioner.

3) Since I wondered, What can I do? You may be wondering, What can you do to avoid heavy metals in salt?

While we can’t avoid heavy metals completely—there’s a lot that we can’t control—there’s also a lot that we can control.

We can cut down on our heavy metal exposure through what we buy, own, and do. For example, costume jewelry and children’s toy jewelry often have heavy metals in them. There are also many other household items that contain heavy metals. In this episode, however, I want to raise awareness to the heavy metals in many salt products.

Want to deepen this inquiry beyond salt? The free Ultimate Home Detox™ Kickstart—a 10-day email series—walks through the bigger picture of cumulative heavy metal exposure across your home, room by room.

4) Which salt products are the “cleanest” of heavy metals?

After 120 hours of research for the salt lowest in heavy metals for my family, I’ve chosen Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. For readers researching Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt heavy metals test results specifically, the testing data is summarized in Table 1 of the main blog article—and it is among the products with the lowest reported levels. I was delighted to realize that I had already selected it years ago to add to baths. It was hard for me to find salt that didn’t have chemical additives but Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt was among the lowest I could find for baths. I will now be using it in our family meals and transitioning my family to it as we phase out the other salt products in our kitchen.

I tried to use it on food but it was hard for me to adjust to its flakey, larger shape. However, reading more about it on its website helped me appreciate it in more for meals. The website says:

The Diamond Crystal Salt Co. Kosher Salt Flakes appears as a staple in many culinary schools, and are faithfully used by high-profile chefs and cookbook authors. Diamond Crystal Salt Co. Kosher Salt Flakes stand out from the rest as an additive free product that is produced without any form of mechanical compaction. The carefully crafted crystal shape contributes to the many functions our Salt Flakes offer including seasoning control, strong adherence to food surfaces, and a salty burst when bit into. They even contain 53% less sodium by volume compared to table salt. While we are beloved by restaurant professionals, Diamond Crystal Salt Co. products are now available for home chefs that are carrying on their own culinary traditions while crafting new recipes to share with family and friends.

Which salt product has the lowest reported heavy metals? I organized all the test results from various providers into a table. From there, my pick for my family became clear.

Update (2026): Since this episode aired, additional third-party testing by LeadSafeMama and others has expanded the picture. Five salt products have now returned non-detect or low reported results across the heavy metals tested: Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, Jacobsen Pure Kosher Sea Salt (retested and confirmed in August 2025), Maldon Sea Salt Flakes (March 2025 retest), Saltverk Flaky Sea Salt, and Vera Salt (accredited testing across 2023–2026). One caution worth naming: a brand testing clean for one product doesn’t mean all its products test clean—Jacobsen’s Italian Fine Sea Salt, for example, tested positive for lead in September 2024. Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt remains my family’s choice for its consistent non-detect results across multiple independent testing rounds. For the full brand-by-brand lab data, methodology, and limitations, see the Heavy Metals in Salt evidence review.

Non-detect (ND) means the metal was below the laboratory’s detection limit. Methods and dates vary by source, and results can change by lot. For the full brand-by-brand lab data, see the Heavy Metals in Salt evidence review.

Which salt has the least microplastics?

Heavy metals aren’t the only concern with salt—microplastics are the other. Sea salts, in particular, can carry microplastics from the ocean water they’re evaporated from, which is why spring-sourced and certain flake salts tend to test better. In the testing I reviewed, Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, Maldon Sea Salt Flakes, Saltverk Flaky Sea Salt, and Vera Salt returned non-detect microplastics results, and Vera Salt publishes accredited microplastics testing across multiple years. There’s no reliable way to test a salt for microplastics at home, so the practical step is the same as with heavy metals: favor brands that publish current third-party testing. For the deeper dive on how microplastics get into salt and how to reduce your exposure, see “Why You Should Avoid Microplastics & Nanoplastics in Salt.”

Four Life-Changing Takeaways From My Research on Heavy Metals in Salt

In the big picture, will which salt I consume make a meaningful difference?

When considering heavy metals, any reduction can help especially for children! This is how my life is enhanced after researching the salt lowest in heavy metals for my family over 120 hours:

1. Use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt for meals and baths
2. Eat more homecooked meals to avoid whatever salt and other toxic exposures come from foods prepared outside the home
3. Keep avoiding microplastic exposure—avoid plastic water bottles and food containers, and cut down on synthetic fibers in my home
4. Eat more nutrient-dense meals because vitamins and minerals can help counter or protect the damage from heavy metals. In a 2022 article “Lead and Children: No Amount of Lead is Safe” for Columbia University Irving Medical Center, Vicki Iannoti, MD, a pediatrician and assistant professor of pediatrics at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, provides the following tips to protect yourself from the damaging effects of lead exposure. She advises that:
   • Iron can reduce the amount of lead absorbed through the GI tract and into the bloodstream.
   • Calcium can reduce the amount of lead delivered to the brain and other organs.
   • Vitamin C is helpful because it helps the body absorb iron and calcium.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which salt has the least heavy metals?

In the independent third-party testing I reviewed, five salt products returned non-detect or low reported results across the heavy metals tested: Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, Jacobsen Pure Kosher Sea Salt, Maldon Sea Salt Flakes, Saltverk Flaky Sea Salt, and Vera Salt. Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt is my family’s pick for its consistent non-detect results across multiple testing rounds.

What is kosher salt?

Kosher salt is a coarse-grained, additive-free salt named for its traditional use in koshering (drawing moisture from) meat. It’s typically refined and not iodized, and its larger flakes make it easy to pinch and control while cooking. Because it’s refined, it’s lower in the trace minerals found in salts like Celtic or Himalayan—which is also part of why kosher salts have tended to test low for heavy metals.

Does Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt have minerals?

It’s a refined kosher salt, so it’s low in the trace minerals that mineral-rich salts are marketed for. That same refining is part of why it tends to test low for heavy metals. Worth knowing: salt isn’t a meaningful source of dietary minerals to begin with, since the amounts are small relative to other foods.

Is Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt healthy?

It depends on what you’re optimizing for. If your priority is low heavy metals, it has returned non-detect results in independent testing. If you’re seeking trace minerals or iodine, a refined kosher salt won’t provide much—so pair it with iodine from other foods if you rely on salt for it.

Does kosher salt have microplastics?

In the testing I reviewed, Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt returned non-detect microplastics results, and kosher, flake, and spring-sourced salts tended to test better than sea salts, which can carry microplastics from ocean water. One caveat: lab results reflect the specific batch and date tested and can change over time, so favor brands that publish current third-party testing.

Listen Now

For more, listen to Practical Nontoxic Living™ episode 77, “E77. I Researched Salt for 120 Hours—This Is My Pick to Reduce Heavy Metals & Microplastics”—and subscribe on your favorite podcast platform to hear new findings as they emerge.

But, for invaluable context on what I’d like you to know about how and why your home can become a powerful wellness ally, sign up for my free Ultimate Home Detox™ Kickstart email series. You’ll receive my beautiful Nontoxic Living Cleaning Guide and other simple shifts to reduce your exposures to toxic chemicals, heavy metals, EMFs, and microplastics.

Choosing salt low in heavy metals is one small, practical step in the larger Practical Nontoxic Living™ framework—reducing what your body has to process, one everyday choice at a time. If you’d like to know more about me and how I research these choices, visit my about page.

Originally published February 12, 2025. Updated October 3, 2025 to remove statements about aluminum contributing to Alzheimer’s Disease since research is inconclusive and ongoing. Updated July 22, 2026 to reconcile the testing narrative with the current five-product picture (adding Saltverk Flaky Sea Salt and Vera Salt), add a summary table, a microplastics section, and a frequently asked questions section, and refine metadata and compliance language.

Sources

Muwaffak et al, 2019. Al Osman M, Yang F, Massey IY. Exposure routes and health effects of heavy metals on children. Biometals. 2019 Aug;32(4):563-573. doi: 10.1007/s10534-019-00193-5. Epub 2019 Apr 2. PMID: 30941546.