COLIMA SEA SALT™, Study notes of Literature

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COLIMA SEA SALT™

Mineral Content Analysis

Disclaimers

• This report contains a detailed analysis of the mineral content of Colima Sea Salt™ (abbreviated as “CSS” throughout this document) distributed by Ava Jane’s Kitchen, based on the lab results performed by the American West Analytical Laboratories in Salt Lake City, UT, and NutriData in Laguna Hills, CA, in December 201 8.
• The goal of this analysis is to shed light on what these results mean to the average layperson - both in terms of health-promoting minerals, or potentially harmful heavy metals or other contaminants.
• To create this report, our team of citizen scientists looked at what the current scientific literature and safety guidelines say about the levels of exposure to minerals.
• This review is by no way extensive (which would likely take months of work for a single mineral), and should not be considered medical advice, or a replacement for the advice of scientists who dedicate their lives to create health recommendations and guidelines aiming to keep our population safe.
• Keep in mind that this report is based on a single analysis performed by a single lab. We cannot guarantee that these results would be identical should another batch be tested in the future, and the multiple environmental factors which could possibly contaminate the product of CSS in the future.
• Instead, consider this document our honest attempt to bridging the gap between the world of science research and the consumer - always keeping the precautionary principle in mind, and with a rigid focus on seeking the truth.
• This report was originally created by renowned citizen scientist Nick Pineault in 2013 and update by Ava Jane’s Kitchen in 2018.

Essential Minerals - Macrominerals

The body needs many minerals; these are called essential minerals. Essential minerals are sometimes divided up into major minerals (macrominerals) and trace minerals (microminerals). These two groups of minerals are equally important, but trace minerals are needed in smaller amounts than major minerals. The amounts needed in the body are not an indication of their importance.^3 Mineral RDA^4 mg / ¼ tsp. Role In The Human Body^5 Calcium 1,000 mg 1.11 Vascular contraction, vasodilation, muscle functions, nerve transmission, intracellular signalling, and hormonal secretion^6 Chloride 2.3 g^7 722.4 Proper fluid balance and hydration, blood pressure, stomach acid (HCl) production^8 Magnesium 420 mg 12 .6 Nerve and muscle function, healthy immune system, heart regulation, bone strength, sugar metabolism, energy production^9 Phosphorus 700 mg N/A Kidney function, energy production, tissue and cell repair, balance of multiple other vitamins and minerals^10 Potassium 4.7 g 6.5 Fluid and electrolyte balance, nervous system function, healthy blood pressure^11 Sodium 2.3 g^12 14.8 Nutrient absorption and transport, maintenance of blood volume and blood pressure, nerve impulse transmission, muscle contraction, and cardiac function^13 Sulfur^14 N/A^15 N/A Glucose metabolism, energy production, joint health^16 (^3) http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/tc/minerals-their-functions-and-sources-topic-overview (^4) Unless stated otherwise, we used the RDAs (Recommended Dietary Allowances) from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academy of Sciences. Based on the RDA for adult males found on the list compiled by Consumer Lab: http://www.consumerlab.com/RDAs/ (^5) This list is by no way extensive. Most of these minerals are responsible for thousands of different direct or indirect roles inside the human body. (^6) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4337919/ (^7) https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002417.htm (^8) https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Fundamentals_of_Human_Nutrition/Chloride (^9) https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002423.htm (^10) http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/phosphorus (^11) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potassium_in_biology (^12) The RDA for sodium is a controversial subject. While the FDA and the Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) recommend limiting daily sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg or even lower for people over 51 years old, research is very unclear on what the right intake is. Research published in JAMA has even found that consuming less than 3, mg of sodium per day may increase your risk of dying from heart disease: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/ (^13) http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/minerals/sodium (^14) Sulfur either falls in the “macromineral” or “trace mineral” category - depending on who you ask. (^15) It’s still unclear how much sulfur our body needs, but certain health experts recommend a RDA of up to 1,500 mg per day: https://www.sharecare.com/health/healthy-eating-guidelines/recommended-dietary-allowance-for-sulfur (^16) https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/abcs-of-nutrition/sulfur-deficiency/

Observations

● CSS is unsurprisingly mostly comprised of chloride and sodium -- which represent 88.5% of its composition ● The twist -- while table salt contains approximately 40% sodium and 60% chloride^17 , CSS contains 36.1% sodium, and 52.4% chloride ● While other sea salts mostly contain sodium chloride, and sodium-free alternatives mostly contain potassium chloride, CSS contains magnesium chloride ● Potassium chloride -- often used in sodium-free salt such as Nu-Salt^18 has been shown to improve blood pressure in older patients suffering from hypertension.^19 ● The same way, magnesium chloride supplementation has been strongly linked with improved heart health, lower risks of hypertension, lower risks of metabolic and syndrome or diabetes -- just to name these few.^20 ● CSS contains a small amount of magnesium -- at 12 .6 mg for a ¼ tsp. ● If someone decides to swap their regular table salt or even any kind of sea salt with CSS, they could add over 50 mg of magnesium to their diet -- by just using a single teaspoon per day. ● In a way, we could argue that CSS is a kind of salt which could potentially reduce or normalize blood pressure -- even in sodium-sensitive individuals or older folks who might be at risk of heart attacks or who have been put on a low-sodium diet by their health practitioner. Unfortunately, we cannot say if this information is sufficient to be able to put a claim to that effect on the packaging -- as the labelling laws are beyond the scope of this document. ● CSS has been found to be microplastic free. (^17) https://sodiumbreakup.heart.org/salt-vs-sodium- 2 (^18) http://www.nusalt.com/faq/ (^19) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/ (^20) http://www.lifeextension.com/magazine/2014/12/magnesium-the-missing-link-to-a-healthy-heart/page-01?p=

Essential Minerals - Trace Minerals (Microminerals)

The body needs trace minerals in very small amounts. Note that iron is considered to be a trace mineral, although the amount needed is somewhat more than for other microminerals. Mineral RDA mg / ¼ tsp. Role In The Human Body^28 Iron 8 mg 0. 0067 Part of a molecule (hemoglobin) found in red blood cells that carries oxygen in the body; needed for energy metabolism Zinc 11 mg N/A Part of many enzymes; needed for making protein and genetic material; has a function in taste perception, wound healing, normal fetal development, production of sperm, normal growth and sexual maturation, immune system health Iodine 150 mcg 0.0012^29 Found in thyroid hormone, which helps regulate growth, development, and metabolism Selenium 55 mcg N/A Antioxidant Copper 900 mcg 0.05 Part of many enzymes; needed for iron metabolism Manganese 2.3 mg 0.0073 Part of many enzymes Molybdenum 45 mcg N/A Part of some enzymes Chromium 30 mcg N/A Works closely with insulin to regulate blood sugar (glucose) levels Cobalt N/A^30 N/A Required in the synthesis of vitamin B12, but because bacteria are required to synthesize the vitamin, it is usually considered part of vitamin B

Observations

● CSS is a negligible source of the above trace minerals. We decided to highlight these few trace minerals because they are among the 20 minerals known to be essential to human health^31 (^28) http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/tc/minerals-their-functions-and-sources-topic-overview (^29) We couldn’t find the lab results for iodine, just for the radioactive fallout iodine-131 which is addressed later in this document. (^30) The RDA for cobalt has not been set yet. See http://healthcare.utah.edu/healthlibrary/related/doc.php?type=19&id=cobalt (^31) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mineral_(nutrient)#Essential_chemical_elements_for_humans

Ultratrace Elements

Ultratrace elements is a chemical element that normally comprises less than one microgram per gram of a given organism (i.e. less than 0.0001% by weight), but which plays a significant role in its metabolism.^32 There’s no known RDA for any of these elements. Mineral mg / ¼ tsp. Role In The Human Body^33 Bromine 0.4152 Possibly important to basement membrane architecture and tissue development, as a needed catalyst to make collagen IV^34 Arsenic (^) N/A Essential in rat, hamster, goat and chicken models, but no biochemical mechanism known in humans.[33] Nickel (^) N/A Nickel is an essential component of several enzymes, including urease and hydrogenase. Although not required by humans, some are thought to be required by gut bacteria, such as urease required by some varieties of Bifidobacterium Fluorine (^) N/A Is thought to prevent oral cavities, but this is a very debated and controversial subject in the scientific community Boron (^) 0.0290 In animals, supplemental boron has been shown to reduce calcium excretion and activate vitamin D Lithium N/A It is not known whether lithium has a physiological role in any species, but nutritional studies in mammals have indicated its importance to health, leading to a suggestion that it be classed as an essential trace element Strontium 0. 2244 Promoting action on calcium uptake into bones at moderate dietary strontium levels, but a rachitogenic (rickets-producing) action at higher dietary levels^35 Silicon (^) 0.0259 Established, albeit specialized, biochemical roles as structural or functional cofactors in other organisms, and are possibly, even probably, used by mammals (including humans) Vanadium N/A Tungsten (^) 0. Specialized biochemical uses in certain lower organisms, but these elements appear not to be utilized by humans.[8] Cadmium (^) N/A Lanthanum N/A Other elements (^) N/A Other elements that are considered to be possibly essential include aluminium, germanium, lead, rubidium, and tin (^32) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultratrace_element (^33) http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/tc/minerals-their-functions-and-sources-topic-overview (^34) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/ (^35) http://www.thebonejournal.com/article/S8756-3282(04)00181-4/abstract

Worrisome Elements

We decided to separate a few elements that are known to be on the average consumer’s mind when it comes to choosing the healthiest products possible. Bromine & Bromide A bromide is a chemical compound containing a bromide ion or ligand. It is considered an essential trace element to the human body.^37 However, the addition of potassium bromate to our food supply (mainly in bread) has been linked with many health issues^38 , is known to compete for the uptake of iodine by the thyroid gland^39 and is a class 2B carcinogen.^40 It is very unclear what amount of bromine is harmful to the human body, or how much bromine or bromide the average American consumes through their food or water intake. All that being said, CSS contains a mere 0. 9 mg of combined bromine and bromide by quarter teaspoon -- which is 18 times lower than the concern level in tap water emitted by the World Health Organization for an adult weighing 60 kg.^41 Fluorine Fluorine (present in the form of fluoride) is a concern for a lot of consumers these days, and is the cause of a ton of controversy by being added to the tap water of a majority of cities in the US and Canada. Luckily, CSS doesn’t contain detectable amounts of fluoride. Heavy Metals A majority of health-conscious consumers these days are aware that heavy metal contamination is a huge problem in our food supply. Recent scandals around the worrisome levels of arsenic in rice products^42 , lead in tap water^43 and cadmium in cacao or chocolate products^44 have seen this level of concern increase exponentially. According to the analysis performed by American West Analytical Laboratories, CSS contains the following amounts of heavy metals that are generally considered a problem: (^37) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bromide (^38) http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/10-health-dangers-of-bromine/ (^39) http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/09/05/another-poison-hiding-in-your-environment.aspx (^40) http://www.inchem.org/documents/iarc/vol73/73-17.html (^41) http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/dwq/chemicals/Fourth_Edition_Bromide_Final_January_2010.pdf (^42) http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2015/01/how-much-arsenic-is-in-your-rice/index.htm (^43) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flint_water_crisis (^44) http://www.naturalnews.com/045545_cacao_powder_cadmium_lab_testing_results.html

Undetectable levels: ● Arsenic: < 0.101 PPM ● Cadmium: < 0.100 PPM ● Mercury: < 0.0384 PPM ● Lead: < 0.100 PPM Detectable levels: ● Aluminum^45 : 3.30 PPM or 0. 00 4 mg/¼ tsp. of salt Aluminum toxicity is a very controversial topic, especially because it pollutes our air, food and water so much. The amount of aluminum in CSS is fairly low, considering that the upper limit of aluminum contamination in tap water is set at 0.2 mg per liter by Health Canada, the World Health Organization and the US EPA.^46 Studies show that most people are consuming at least 10 mg of aluminum per day^47 , and more than 50-1000 mg/day in the case of drug administration. It has been estimated that the total body burden of aluminum most adults get exposed to on a daily basis is 30-50 mg^48. On top of that, the World Health Organization has currently set the upper limit on aluminum intake to “40 mg per kilogram of body weight per day. So for a person who weighs 60kg the allowable intake would be 2400 mg.”^49 All of the above make us conclude that CSS is not a very important source of dietary aluminum, considering that common uses of aluminum like cooking with aluminum foil can increase one’s dietary intake by more than 361 mg, according to a 2012 study^50. The following heavy metals can still be a concern in certain amounts, but are less often talked about. None of them are detectable in CSS: ● Chromium: < 0.100 PPM ● Thallium: < 0.100 PPM ● Beryllium: < 0.200 PPM ● Tin: < 0.100 PPM ● Silver : < 0.100 PPM (^45) Whether aluminum should be classified as a toxic metal is still subject to a lot of scientific debate. (^46) https://www.wqa.org/Portals/0/Technical/Technical%20Fact%20Sheets/2014_Aluminum.pdf (^47) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/ (^48) https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp22-c2.pdf (^49) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-conversation-africa/why-you-shouldnt-wrap-you_b_9622502.html (^50) http://www.electrochemsci.org/papers/vol7/7054498.pdf

Conclusion

After looking at the mineral content analysis of CSS provided by the American West Analytical Laboratories, we can conclude the following^56 :

• Colima Sea Salt™ is high in magnesium and lower in sodium than refined table salt.
• Due to its lower sodium content, Colima Sea Salt™ is probably more suitable for people who want to or need to follow a low sodium diet, who have a known sodium sensitivity, that have high blood pressure or that are at risk of cardiovascular disease than most sea salt or rock salt (such as Himalayan sea salt) products.
• Colima Sea Salt™ is a source of magnesium, a single teaspoon containing more than 50 mg of magnesium -- which is 15 % of your daily needs in this essential mineral.
• Colima Sea Salt™ has been tested for heavy metal contamination and the lab analysis showed that it contains undetectable levels of most heavy metals including lead mercury, arsenic and cadmium -- and levels of aluminum that are comparable to the exposure we get from common foods. (^56) We cannot confirm that you can use any of the conclusions as marketing claims or on your product’s label. This does not constitute legal advice.