DEAR DR. BLONZ: After doing a genetic test, I learned that my high blood pressure is due, at least in part, to an inherited tendency. I watch my sodium intake, enjoy cooking and don’t eat too many processed foods, which helps a lot. But like most people, I’m busy and can’t cook everything from scratch -- especially beans, which I eat often. When there is time, I prepare them from dried, but I always have cans of beans on hand. My concern is that the canned beans’ sodium levels tend to be on the high side. Any advice? --P.A., Concord, California

DEAR P.A.: There are low-sodium and no-salt-added varieties of canned beans and vegetables available. If the standard product is all you have, giving the contents a couple of rinses with lukewarm water can significantly cut the sodium (one reported a 25% reduction). Check this by tasting a small amount of the water upon opening the can, then repeat the taste test after rinsing the beans a couple of times.

DEAR DR. BLONZ: What is the difference between sea salt, kosher salt and good old sodium chloride? I always thought that NaCl was salt, period. -- P.E., San Diego

DEAR P.E.: Sodium chloride is, indeed, the familiar white granular seasoning we call “salt.” The version called “sea salt” comes from evaporated seawater, and its mineral content is not limited to the sodium and chloride that make up traditional salt. These additional minerals can give sea salt subtle flavor characteristics.

At a food meeting, I once participated in a blind tasting of various salts, and noticed the differences in flavors each type produced. But I remain unsure whether the use of a particular sea salt, versus standard salt, translates into a discernable impact on the taste of the foods we prepare (assuming the same amount of sodium chloride is used).

Regarding other salts: Depending on the brand, table salts can contain small amounts of additives to prevent caking and encourage a smooth flow. A common additive is silicon dioxide, which is the primary ingredient of sand. It is innocuous, essentially nonabsorbed, and has GRAS status as an additive (Generally Regarded As Safe). If the table salt is labeled “iodized,” it also includes a source of iodine.

“Kosher salt” is pure sodium chloride, usually without additives, and it often comes in coarse crystals. It is not necessarily a kosher product, but it can be certified as kosher for Passover use. It is no better or worse than any other form of table salt.

I hope this helps clear up the differences. For any readers who want to learn about the significant, yet unappreciated, role salt has played in world history, I encourage a read of “Salt: A World History” by Mark Kurlansky.

Send questions to: “On Nutrition,” Ed Blonz, c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO, 64106. Send email inquiries to questions@blonz.com. Due to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.

DEAR DR. BLONZ: What do you see in the future for health and nutrition in the U.S., given that with all our resources, we do not rate among the top 20 healthiest nations on Earth? -- S.T., Chicago

DEAR S.T.: According to the Bloomberg Healthiest Countries index, the U.S. is rated No. 35 in the world (Spain is No. 1). These ratings are based on life expectancy, environmental factors and risk factors such as smoking. There are many complexity levels here, including lifestyle issues, access to healthcare, and economic factors that can limit choice. Regarding nutrition, I believe such disappointing ratings will continue as long as we remain subject to influence by advertising forces. These have a proven ability to entice the populace toward value-added, less-healthful convenience fare rather than the routine consumption of a balanced, plant-based, whole foods diet as an anchor.

DEAR DR. BLONZ: What is carrageenan? It's an ingredient in both the yogurt and salad dressing I use. My neighbor said it's seaweed. Is this true, and if so, is it safe? -- R.T., San Jose, California

DEAR R.T.: Carrageenan, named after the southern Ireland town of Carragheen, where sea algae cultivation began, belongs to a group of food additives called vegetable gums. These include agar, locust bean gum, tragacanth, xanthan gum and pectin. These gums don't contribute vitamins or minerals. Still, they act as binding and thickening agents to add texture and a "slippery feel" in the mouth to a growing variety of foods such as yogurt, salad dressings, sauces, jellies, puddings, sherbets and ice cream. Although they're built like a carbohydrate, our bodies cannot digest or absorb these gums, so, to a degree, they end up acting like dietary fiber.

DEAR DR. BLONZ: A workout friend is a nutritionist, and she continues to tell me that the calcium from fat-free milk products is not absorbed into the body effectively. She insists that calcium needs to be consumed with a little fat in order to be absorbed. She says that my body is not absorbing any calcium from all the fat-free milk and yogurt products I consume. Is this true? Do I need to switch to low-fat milk products? -- N.N., Phoenix

DEAR N.N.: I question your "nutritionist" friend, and in my opinion, so should you. Switch to low-fat milk products only if you want. Calcium absorption will not be significantly affected by such a change. I challenge this individual to come up with any basis for these statements. Is there any chance she might have been referring to vitamin D, a nutrient typically added to milk? That is one that is more efficiently absorbed when fat is present.

Send questions to: “On Nutrition,” Ed Blonz, c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO, 64106. Send email inquiries to questions@blonz.com. Due to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.

DEAR DR. BLONZ: I use an extra-light olive oil for my cooking and salads. I have heard that the extra-light type may not have the same healthful benefits that fruity extra-virgin olive oil has. How do the two types of olive oil compare as far as their beneficial properties? -- M.T., Sun City, Arizona

DEAR M.T.: First, let’s look at how the various types are alike. Calorie content is similar in all olive oils. The composition of an olive’s fatty acids is approximately 77% monounsaturated, 9% polyunsaturated and 14% saturated. Extra-virgin olive oil will contain a higher concentration of phytochemicals than oils described as “light.”

Oils tend to be present as triglycerides: three fatty acids bound to glycerol. Fatty acids can begin to split off as olives age; measurements of their free-acidity are used as a gauge of olive quality. Premium olive oils often declare a maximum level of free-acidity on their labels.

The various grades of olive oil are distinguished by the order in which they emerge from specialized presses. The first pressing of the fruit provides the extra-virgin olive oil: the darkest, most flavorful and highest in quality. It also has the lowest free-acid level.

Next out is the virgin olive oil. It has less color, but still contains some of the olive’s fruitiness. The remaining oil is the standard, or “pure” olive oil, which has even less olive flavor. Some companies make a “light” (or “lite”) olive oil, which has little, if any, olive flavor, but is still quite functional. Many companies blend their oils to achieve a more standardized flavor. In Europe, you can even find pomace oil: a solvent extraction of the olive mash leftovers.

Understanding the idea of health benefits between the extra-virgin and the lighter types becomes apparent when you consider that the olive is the olive tree’s fruit. The oil is there to nurture the developing seed until it can begin to grow on its own. Rancid oil is less able to help the seed grow, and the olive has evolved to produce protective components. In the olive, we find some vitamin E and other antioxidant compounds known as polyphenols. These compounds help maintain the olive’s vitality while providing the distinct flavor characteristics detectable in premium oils.

Oil producers from around the Mediterranean, in addition to those in California, speak with understandable pride about the healthful attributes of their olive oil. They often tout that only the extra-virgin olive oil has the right stuff. Once you understand that it is the extra-virgin oil that contains the bulk of the beneficial phytochemicals, you can better appreciate the logic of their message.

Expect differences between, and within, brands of oils. Quality varies with the olive variety, the age of the tree, the geographical area, the method of cultivation, the weather and the length of the growing season. Some producers date the vintage of their oils, while others blend to achieve a consistent taste for their brand. We find the same types of differences with fruits and vegetables, as well as with products such as wine.

While tasting olive oils around the world, I noticed differences in pungency, buttery mouthfeel and peppery aftertaste -- each, no doubt, due to specific chemical compounds. Olives picked earlier in the harvest might have higher levels of certain constituents than those left until the end of the season.

Suffice it to say that sticking with extra-virgin will ensure that you are getting the best that an olive variety has to offer. When possible, taste several to find the type that meets your particular needs. For more, see b.link/bw-olive.

Send questions to: “On Nutrition,” Ed Blonz, c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO, 64106. Send email inquiries to questions@blonz.com. Due to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.