Once you start your trips to the kitchen, you often are encountered with certain new ingredients that you might have never seen before. But this isn’t the case only with some complex food items. These could be something simple as salt or butter which be of different types. There is no ingredient as important as salt in the kitchen as the complete taste of a dish depends on it.
Edible salt is generally sodium chloride or certain mixes that are mostly sodium chloride. Salts highlight the flavours of the food items and make them taste better. Simple it may sound, but there are a lot of types of salt available as well. All salts are not the same, they taste different and should be used in different ways. Let’s take a trip to know about the types of salt.
The Types of Salt
1. Table Salt
The salt commonly found in every household, table salt usually consist 97 to 99 percent sodium chloride. Also known as iodised salt, it contains crystals of Potassium iodide and an anti-caking agent which prevents it from clumping.
Refined versions of table salt are held responsible for many sodium-related issues in the body while unrefined salts heal the body.
2. Pink salt – Types of Salt
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Easily characterized by its pink colour, the pink salt is grown in the Himalayan mountains in Pakistan. The salt gets its colour from small amounts of iron oxide in it. It contains 84 different natural minerals found in the human body, making it one of the healthiest salt.
Its bold flavour and health benefits make it reach a steep price but recent popularity has made it much affordable.
3. Kosher Salt
The Kosher salt is a refined one and has larger crystals than table salt and has no additives. It is light in texture and dissolves quite easily. Its size makes it perfect for sprinkling on top as it releases flavours.
4. Sea salt – Types of Salt
Coming straight from the seawater, sea salt can have contrasting tastes. It contains small portions of natural iodine but not as much as iodised salt. Less refined than table salt and is available in both coarse and fine varieties.
With pollution increasing, it has become a concern for sea salts. Thus, it is good to keep a check on sea salt consumption.
5. Grey Celtic salt
Coming from the coasts of France, the Grey Celtic salt gets its colour from the clay. The natural clay and sand create a moist and mineral-rich salt. It can help in restoring the electrolyte balance in the body and can prevent cramps.
The labour intensive work makes it a much expensive salt than the common varieties.
6. Black salt – Types of Salt
Commonly known as Kaala Namak in Indian households, it is a Himalayan salt that is packed in a container with charcoal, heated in a furnace for a day and then cooled and aged. All of this gives it a reddish colour and a pungent salty taste.
7. Fleur De Sel
Fleur De Sel, meaning ‘the flower of salt’ is sea salt from the tidal pools of France. It is a thin crystallised salt that is drawn from the surface of the water. This process can be done on sunny dry days and with traditional wooden rakes, making it the most expensive salt at around $80 for five pounds.
Which salt is best for high BP?
Sodium is highly risky for people having high blood pressure. As salts are mostly sodium, they can be tricky customers for blood pressure patients. They should reduce their sodium intake as a small reduction can help in a great way.
Additionally, table salt should be avoided and Himalayan salt or rock salt could be preferred instead.
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Which salt is best for daily use?
The most common question arising after knowing all these types of salt would be which salt is best for daily use! Himalayan pink salt is high in minerals & can be deemed as a much healthy type of salt, but its price tag might not be for everyone. Essentially, every salt has its own benefits which can be used according to the needs. Iodised salt is preferred due to its action on the thyroid gland.
While the taste buds are enthralled while we consume salt, it is recommended to consume only 1 teaspoon of salt every day. So, the next time you see a packet of salt on the shelf of a store, think again.