Salt is a white natural mineral present in crystalline form that gives the sea its characteristic taste. It not only adds flavor to the food but also an important ingredient of many medicines. Salt is a mineral that is essential for both humans and animals. It has used to preserve and season the food since ancient times.
What is salt?
Salt is a crystalline mineral mainly comprises of two major elements i.e. Sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl). The chemical name of salt is sodium chloride. Nature has given it tremendous properties that are beneficial for the human body. The minerals present in salt help in nerve transmission and proper muscle and bone functioning.
Salt has many features and adding flavor to our food is the most common one. It is also used as a food preservative because it is difficult for bacteria to grow and breed in a salt-rich environment.
The major source to obtain salt is either the salt mines or by evaporation of seawater. Salt is harvested in many countries having salt mines and among those countries, Canada has the largest deposits of salt.
There are different types of salt on the basis of their source, texture, color, and taste e.g table salt, kosher salt, Himalayan salt, and sea salt. Today, we will explore 12 different kinds of salts in detail. So let’s start
Type of Salt
1. Table salt
It is the most common type of salt that comes from the underground deposits of salt. It is also known as the IODIZED SALT, which means that iodine is added to the salt to meet the deficiency in people suffering from hypothyroidism. The grains of the common table salt is refining and do not contain any impurity. The salt also contains anti-clumping agents that prevent it from clumping.
You can use this salt for baking, cooking, and seasoning the food.
2.Kosher salt
This salt gets the name from a Hebrew root named Kashér. KASHER means pure, clear, or suitable to use. The preparation of Kosher food strictly follows the Jewish dietary rules (kashrut) and complies with the Jewish food standards. Kosher salt is not kosher food itself, but it has application in the koshering process of food, specifically meat. The salt removes blood and moisture from the meat, making it suitable to use.
The Jews used this salt to preserve the meat by removing blood and moisture from it. The reason behind its use in koshering the food was the large and rough flakes that were easy to rub and wash from meat.
The crystals of kosher salt are large and coarse. Also, they are flat or hollow pyramidal in shape depending on the harvesting technique. The salt is considerable for seasoning, cooking, and baking. The coarse texture of the flakes makes the salt easy to pinch. However, they take time to dissolve when compared to the common table salt.
Underground salt deposits and seawater are the major sources of obtaining kosher salt.
3.Celtic salt
Celtic salt, also known as grey salt, is a grey-colored unrefined salt. It comes from the coastal areas of France. Sundries the seawater, leaving the salt behind. The handpicking technique applies to obtain the Celtic Salt.
The Celtic sea salt is moist in texture with about 15% of moisture content in it. The other kinds of salt usually contain less than 1% moisture.
4.Fleur de sel
Fleur de sel is a French phrase that means flower of salt. It is a kind of sea salt that comes from France. The salt gets extracted from the coastal areas around the world. It forms a thin crust on the surface of the water from where it comes. This salt is expensive, having a blue-grey hue due to the presence of minerals. It adds a unique flavor to seafood, vegetables, and many sweet recipes like chocolate and caramel.
5. Black salt
Himalayan Black salt, commonly named Kala namak or Sulemani namak is an altered form of pink Himalayan rock salt with a distinctively pungent smell. It has a tangy, earthy flavor and a brownish pink tint. Black salt occurs in both granulated and powdered, each carrying its tremendous healing features. It not only gives an incredible taste to your food but also serves a lot of health and beauty benefits.
6. Flake Salt
Flake salt is obtained by the evaporation or boiling of saltwater. It has thin and irregularly shaped crystals, with a bold taste. Flake salt has low mineral content. Seawater is the source of this kind of salt. It has a unique texture, and the shape of its grains is irregular. The salt does not contain a high mineral content. Because of its sharp taste, flake salt serves to season the food.
7. Black Hawaiian Salt
The origin of Black Hawaiin salt is the volcanic islands of Hawaii. It has an earthy flavor with a deep black tint due to the presence of charcoal.
8. Red Hawaiian Salt
It is a form of unrefined salt that gets its name due to reddish, iron-rich volcanic clay. This salt is also used in cooking and for beauty purposes.
9. Smoked Salt
Smoked salt is exactly what the name indicates. They are the pink Himalayan salt flakes exposed to the smoke from untreated wood for 14 days. During this time, they get a smoky aroma and become enriched with the flavor of the type of wood used. It is pure salt pure, having no added flavor and color. The taste of smoked salt can be bold, mild, or delicate, counting on the type of wood.
Smoked salt enhances the salinity of a dish, also imparts smokiness and a unique flavor to the food. It is perfect for vegetarians and meat-eaters and can also be used in many recipes to add smoke flavor like meats, vegetables, and more. It is worth mention that it is entirely different from smoked Flavored Salt as it is pure and does not contain any additives.
10. Pickling salt
This kind of salt is used for pickling and brining. It is pure salt that does not contain any additives or anti-caking agents. It preserves the pickles and other food items without changing the color.
11. Himalayan Pink Salt
Himalayan rock salt is the most authentic type of salt. It has a wide application for its taste and health perks. Pink rock salt is the purest form of salt, harvested with hands. Unlike table salt, it does not contain any additive or bleaching agent.
Sodium and Chloride are some of the primary minerals among 84 trace elements like magnesium, iron oxide, and zinc. These minerals make it a healthy substitute for any other type of salt.
The Himalayan salt has a light peachy pink color due to the presence of minerals and nutrients. However, the crystals can also have an orange or white tint due to the presence of other impurities in them.
12. Dead Sea Salt
The Dead Sea, also called the Salt Sea, borders Jordan, Israel, and the West Bank. It is 306 m in depth and the saltiest lake in the world with 34% salinity. The high salinity of the seawater creates inappropriate habitat for the animals in the sea. So the animals cannot flourish in it. It is the reason that this sea got the name the Dead Sea. Since ancient times, people have traveled to the shores to soak in the salty water to treat skin conditions like psoriasis, ease stress, and boost overall health.
Dead Sea Salt contains 21 elements and nutrients like calcium, sulfur, bromide, sodium, zinc, and potassium. These minerals also occur in our bodies and perform many functions. They are beneficial in treating detoxifying and cleansing our bodies.
The Dead Sea salt has many therapeutic minerals and elements that improve overall health. Dead sea saltwater provides many benefits to the body and improves its functions.
WHICH SALT IS BEST?
The healthiest salt is one that has plenty of minerals and nutrients and does not contain harmful chemicals. After knowing the properties of 12 different salt, it is clear that Himalayan Pink salt is richer in nutrients and healthy minerals. It does not contain additives or anti-caking agents. Therefore it is the best choice of all.
HIMALAYAN SALT VS CELTIC SEA SALT
Now when we have discussed Celtic grey sea salt in detail, let’s analyze how the salt is different from Himalayan pink salt.
As discussed above, Celtic salt is a wet, coarse salt with a grey hue, while the pink Himalayan salt is a dry salt and pink in color due to the presence of the trace elements. Both Celtic salt and Himalayan pink salt are pure and natural, not chemically processed, and without additives.
The Celtic salt has a binary flavor, whereas the Himalayan pink salt is less salty with a mild flavor. That is the reason that pink salt increases the taste of the food with mild flavors.
it is clear from various researches that t there are 84 trace minerals present in Himalayan Pink salt while Celtic grey sea salt contains 60 elements.
Another reason for Himalayan salt being healthier and beneficial is that it does not contain any impurity or contaminant. On the other hand, Celtic salt has impurities like heavy metals and micro plastics that affect the nutritional value of the salt.
Uses of Celtic Salt
- The Celtic grey sea salt is an ingredient for cooking, baking, and grilling.
- It also clears the mucus from the nose and lungs
- You can treat a sore throat by gargling with the Celtic seawater
Health Benefits of Himalayan Salt
Here are some of the most accepted health benefits of the Himalayan rock salt that make it superior to the common table salt.
- It balances the PH of the body cells.
- The use of Himalayan salt reduces muscle aches and cramps
- It Improves digestion.
- Bones become healthy and strong.
- The Himalayan salt has less sodium in it. That is why it helps to regulate blood pressure.
- Drinking sole water removes toxins from our bodies. It helps in keeping the metabolism active and the energy levels high.
- It boosts immunity.
- The Himalayan salt lamp is best to treat allergies and respiratory disorders
- Our vascular health is improved.
- It also reduces the signs of aging.
- There is a Better absorption of food by the intestine
- Himalayan rock salt keeps us hydrated.
- It promotes our sleep.
- The Himalayan salt lamps act as an air purifier.
- When used as a cleanser, the Himalayan rock salt removes dirt and also makes the skin fresh and healthy.
- Gargling with Himalayan pink salt relieves a sore throat.
- Taking a salt bath by dissolving Himalayan salt in warm water relaxes you after a tiring day.
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