Can You Drink Salt Water? 3 Ways to Make Seawater Drinkable

Salt water, particularly ocean water, has a high salt content and is unsafe to drink. Humans evolved to drink fresh water, and drinking seawater can lead to increased dehydration. Drinking salt water will make you thirstier and can cause serious damage to your body.

Ocean water is approximately three to four percent sodium. Human kidneys, which are instrumental in maintaining proper sodium levels in the bloodstream, absorb sodium and expel it in urine—this process of flushing excess sodium from your body requires water. Since the sodium content of seawater is so high, your kidneys need additional water to adequately process the salt water you drink. This leads to a vicious cycle: The more salt water you consume, the more dehydrated your body becomes.

Sodium is a necessary electrolyte, and having a certain amount in your body allows for the proper functioning of nerves and muscles. When too much sodium enters your system, your body has to release more water into your bloodstream to dilute the extra salt, which can cause high blood pressure, bloating, increased urination to dispose of the excess salt, and place stress on the kidneys and other organs. Keeping our salt intake moderate is a key to maintaining good health.

Table salt (sodium chloride), sea salt, and Himalayan pink salt have trace amounts of beneficial minerals, including magnesium and potassium. After a workout, replenishing some of the salt levels lost to sweat has been shown to reduce muscle soreness and cramping.

Some wellness enthusiasts embrace the so-called “salt-water flush,” believing that drinking homemade salt water in moderation can help flush the body of excess or unwanted substances. Current research does not support the purported health benefits and claims of salt-water flushing.

If you are lost at sea, it is essential to know how to turn salt water into drinkable, clean water with a process known as desalination. Consider the following desalination methods:

1. 1. Bottle and can method: This simple method of desalinization uses a plastic bottle and a metallic can. Cut the bottom off of the bottle and roll the edges inward, forming a gutter at the bottom. Cut the top off of the can, fill it with seawater, then place the plastic bottle over it. As the heat from the sun causes evaporation, it will condense on the sides of the plastic bottle and run down the sides, filling the gutter with drinkable water. Ensure the top of the bottle is on, or the condensation will escape into the air.
2. 2. Pot and cup method: This technique requires containers that can withstand heat, and you’ll also need materials to build a fire. Place a small cup or bowl in the center of a large pot. Fill the pot with salt water. As the pot heats, place a lid upside down over the pot. The lid needs to feature a curve or slope so the distilled water runs toward the center and drips into the cup, where it collects for drinking.
3. 3. Hole and plastic method: Dig a hole, then place a pot or other container in the middle of the hole. Fill the hole with salt water, being careful not to go any higher than the top of the container. Stretch clear plastic over the top of the hole and place a weight—a small rock will work—in the middle, directly above the container; this will create a low point where the condensed water will collect and drip into the container. This method works best in an area with direct sunlight.

Certain outdoor activities carry an elevated risk of serious injury. Wilderness scenarios require extensive survival gear, including but not limited to food, water, maps, protective clothing, and first aid, along with mental and physical fortitude. This article is for educational and informational purposes, and is not a substitute for hard skills and expertise.

Prepare for any outdoor journey by grabbing a MasterClass Annual Membership and committing Jessie Krebs’s wilderness survival course to memory. As a former United States Air Force Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape instructor, Jessie can teach you everything you need to know about packing for a trip (neon is the new black), purifying water, foraging (crickets: the other white meat), starting a fire, and signaling for help (forget SOS).