Salt

Salt is a strong-tasting substance in the form of white powder or crystals used to improve the flavour of food or to preserve it. Salt occurs naturally in sea water. Small amounts of salt are essential for our health. Too much salt can cause high blood pressure, the major factor which causes strokes, heart failure and heart attacks. There is also increasing evidence of a link between high salt intake and stomach cancer, osteoporosis, obesity, kidney stones, kidney disease and water retention. It can also exacerbate the symptoms of asthma and diabetes. If your child suffers from asthma, reducing salt intake may be beneficial in combination with the other treatments for asthma. Most recipes call for table salt, while others recommend sea salt, but is there really a difference between the two?

Table salt is typically mined from underground salt deposits and is more heavily processed to remove minerals. It usually contains an additive to prevent clumping. Most table salt also has added iodine, an essential nutrient that helps maintain a healthy thyroid. Sea salt is produced through evaporation of ocean water or water from saltwater lakes, usually with little processing. Depending on the water source, this leaves behind certain trace minerals and elements. The minerals add flavour and color to sea salt, which also comes in a variety of coarseness levels.

Although sea salt is sometimes promoted as being healthier than table salt, both forms have the same sodium content and the same basic nutritional value. The main differences between sea salt and table salt are in their taste, texture and processing.

I have 3 types of salt in my kitchen

Iodized table salt

I use this salt mainly for washing meat to help reduce the smell

Himalayan rock salt

I use this salt in stir fries, soups and any food where I can see how much salt I am adding

Sea salt (grinder)

I use this salt to grind the salt onto food that I want to roast or grill as the coarse grains make the food tastier