SPICES – SALT

However, salt plays an important role in our diet not only because of its taste alone; it is also an indispensable supplier of nutrients that are responsible for important functions in the human body. Salt is, therefore, much more than a simple spice to refine soups.

But how healthy or unhealthy is salt? What advantages does it have, and what should you look out for?

The main component of salt is sodium chloride. It is an important component of the blood and, together with magnesium, is needed for fluid and nutrient balance in the body, bone formation, stimulus transmission and muscle relaxation. To add certain properties to salt, additives are often added. Lime, for example, improves pourability, and added fluoride helps prevent caries. Iodine is added to salts to prevent a corresponding deficiency in the body.

The recommended daily salt intake is about 6 grams. Since many foods already contain salt, this value is often exceeded unnoticed. This can lead to high blood pressure and increased water loss. In the long run, even the kidneys can be damaged.

You don't always have to reach for the classic, simple salt from the supermarket when seasoning dinner. Finding suitable salt for every taste and occasion is possible through many different varieties. The possibilities are endless, whether Persian blue salt or salt from the Himalayas. They differ in taste as well as in extraction and production or origin.

Iodized salt:

Since everyday foods cannot fully meet a person's daily iodine requirements, table salt is often fortified with iodine. In the body, it is responsible for the proper functioning of the thyroid gland. Without sufficient iodine, growth, energy metabolism and bone formation can be severely impaired. But brain development can also be negatively affected by a lack of iodine.

Sea salt:

The evaporation of seawater produces sea salt and covers about 20% of the world's requirement for table salt. To extract the salt from the water, it is stored in shallow basins - also called salt marshes - until it evaporates due to the removal of liquid by wind and sun, and only the salt crystals remain. The light fishy taste is particularly characteristic, which goes very well with seafood or fish dishes. 

Fleur de Sel:

With its unique name that translates to "salt flower," this salt is among the most expensive on the market. It has not received the name without reason: On warm and sunny days, a thin, flower-shaped crust of salt forms on the water's surface, laboriously skimmed off by hand. Most of this variety is produced in Portugal and the Camargue region of France and requires good water quality. The salt is very natural, has a coarse-grained consistency composed of crystals of different sizes and is, therefore, particularly crunchy. Due to its relatively high water content of up to 5%, Fleur de Sel is slightly sticky. Its mild aroma is particularly often sprinkled on raw or cooked dishes.

Himalayan salt:

This salt does not belong to gourmet and specialty salts for nothing. Its versatility makes it particularly popular for seasoning soups and sauces and marinating meat or fish. The salt, mainly mined in Pakistan, can be recognized by its coarse grain and the pink coloration caused by iron oxide. The evaporation of ancient oceans formed Himalayan salt. 

Persian Blue Salt:

This rare salt is mined in Iran and has a characteristic blue colour caused by the mineral Sylvin contained in it. Persian blue salt also contains a lot of potassium, which positively affects blood pressure and influences hormone release. This salt has an intensely salty aroma and a comparatively dry consistency. This makes it ideal for enhancing seafood or salads.

Hawaii Salt:

The unique thing about this salt is the different colours. In addition to the classic white colouring, there are also red, green or black variants. The black colour is created by refining with activated carbon. This also gives the salt its nutty flavour and goes particularly well with seafood, grilled meat or Indian dishes. The red colour comes from the combination of the salt with clay, which also gives the individual taste; salty and a little sweet and nutty, this salt goes particularly well with grilled and roasted meats, raw fish, soup, sauces or marinades. Green salt is made from a mixture of sea salt and an extract of bamboo leaves. It is particularly rich in vitamins and has a mild salty taste. Especially for Asian dishes, you can well resort to this salt.

Bamboo Salt:

First made by Buddhist monks, this salt is said to have unique healing properties. In producing this salt, monks filled sea salt into bamboo tubes and coated them with clay. These tubes were then heated up to nine times at over 1000 °C in a kiln heated with pine wood. Bamboo salt has a high degree of purity and shimmers reddish purple. The taste is particularly salty and is often used in salads, Asian dishes or in the preparation of cooked vegetables.

Smoked Salt:

Salt from the Dead Sea is often smoked over wood to produce this variety. The wood is often beech, hickory or juniper. The process gives the salt a mildly smoky, ham-like aroma and a golden-yellow to brownish colour. Precisely because of the flavour, salt is often used at barbecues to season the meat in America. But vegetarian or vegan dishes can get a unique spice thanks to smoked salt.

Herb and spice salt:

This variety is ordinary table salt enriched with spices or herbs. In addition to industrial production, such mixtures can be effortlessly mixed at home. To do this, mix the salt with the spices of your choice and then store it in a clean and dry container. There are no limits to the possible combinations. Due to this versatility, the area of application is also significant. Depending on the addition, it can range from a salad to a soup.

Inca Salt:

This salt is extracted by hand in millennia-old salt ponds of the Incas in the high plateaus of the Andes, which is how it got its name. In addition to its high purity, Inca salt has a coarser texture, similar to fleur de sel. In addition, the salt has a pink colour, which can be recognized. In addition to seasoning, food is suitable for mixing with spices and herbs, but soups, cold dishes, and fish dishes can be refined with Inka salt.

Murray River salt:

This salt takes its name from an Australian river. Since it used to be an inland sea, it still contains salty water. In addition, parts of the sea are still preserved underground today. As a result, the river's water is unusable for agriculture and is used instead for salt production. These are mildly salty-tasting pink-coloured flakes. The red pigments here come from salt-tolerant algae.

Alpine salt:

This rock salt is mined in the Bavarian and Austrian Alps. There, the evaporation of the primordial sea formed a thick layer of salt, which in turn was trapped under layers of rock over the years. Due to its high iron content, Alpine salt has a reddish-brown colour and a robust and intense taste. This makes it well suited for seasoning a wide variety of dishes, but dark meats and hearty dishes benefit most from the spice. In addition, it can also be used as a base for herbal and spiced salts.