SPICE KNOWLEDGE – SALT

Salt is an integral part of our diet, not only for its flavour but also for its crucial role in providing essential nutrients that support vital functions in the human body. It is not just a mere seasoning for soups, but a valuable resource.

Curious about the true effects of salt on our health? Let's take a closer look. What are the benefits and potential drawbacks to keep in mind?

Salt is primarily composed of sodium chloride, a crucial component for maintaining blood health and fluid and nutrient balance, as well as supporting bone formation, stimulus transmission, and muscle relaxation. To enhance its properties, additives are commonly included, such as lime for improved flow and fluoride for preventing tooth decay. Additionally, iodine is frequently added to salt to prevent deficiencies in the body.

The recommended daily salt intake is around 6 grams. Since many foods already contain salt, this value is often exceeded without being noticed. This can lead to high blood pressure and increased water loss. In the long term, even the kidneys can be damaged.

When seasoning dinner, you don't always have to just use the classic, simple salt from the supermarket. Thanks to the many different varieties, it is possible to find the right salt for every taste and occasion. Whether Persian blue salt or salt from the Himalayas – there are no limits to the possibilities. They differ in taste as well as in extraction and production or origin.

Iodized salt:

Since a person's daily iodine requirement cannot always be completely covered by normal foods, table salt is often fortified with iodine. In the body, it is responsible for the proper functioning of the thyroid gland. Without enough 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:

Sea salt is created by the evaporation of seawater and covers around 20% of the world's table salt needs. To extract the salt from the water, it is stored in shallow basins - also called salt gardens - 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 and goes particularly well with seafood or fish dishes. 

Fleur de Sel:

With its special name, which translates to “salt blossom,” this salt is one of the most expensive on the market. It got its name for a reason: on warm and sunny days, a thin, flower-shaped salt crust forms on the surface of the water, which is painstakingly skimmed off by hand. The majority of this variety is produced in Portugal and the French Camargue and requires good water quality. The salt is very natural, has a coarse-grained consistency made up 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. With its mild aroma, it is often sprinkled on raw or cooked dishes.

Himalayan salt:

It is not for nothing that this salt is one of the gourmet and special salts. Its versatility makes it particularly popular for seasoning soups, sauces and marinating meat or fish. The salt, which is mainly mined in Pakistan, can be recognized by its coarse grain size and the pink colour caused by iron oxide. Himalayan salt was created by the evaporation of ancient oceans. 

Persian blue salt:

This rare salt is mined in Iran and has a characteristic blue colour caused by the mineral sylvan it contains. Persian blue salt also contains a lot of potassium, which has a positive effect on blood pressure and influences hormone secretion. This salt has an intensely salty aroma and a comparatively dry consistency. This makes it ideal for refining seafood or salads.

Hawaiian salt:

The special thing about this salt is the different colours. In addition to the classic white colour, there are also red, green or black variants. The black colour is created by refining with activated carbon. This gives the salt its own nutty taste and goes particularly well with seafood, grilled meat or Indian dishes. The red colour is created by combining the salt with clay, which also creates the individual taste; salty, and also a little sweet and nutty, this salt goes particularly well with grilled and fried meat, raw fish, soup, sauces or marinades. Green salt is made from a composition of sea salt and bamboo leaf extract. It is particularly rich in vitamins and has a mild, salty taste. This salt is particularly good for Asian dishes.

Bamboo salt:

First produced by Buddhist monks, this salt is said to have special healing properties. To make this salt, monks filled sea salt into bamboo tubes and covered them with clay. These pipes were then heated up to nine times in an oven heated with pine wood at over 1000 °C. Bamboo salt has a high degree of purity and has a reddish-purple shimmer. The taste is particularly salty and is often used in salads, Asian dishes or in the preparation of cooked vegetables.

Smoked salt:

When making this variety, salt from the Dead Sea is often smoked over wood. The wood is often beech, hickory or juniper wood. The process gives the salt a mildly smoky, ham-like aroma and a golden yellow to brownish color. Precisely because of its taste, salt is often used in America to season meat at barbecues. But vegetarian or vegan dishes can also be given a special flavor thanks to smoked salt.

Herb and spice salt:

This type is ordinary table salt that has been enriched with spices or herbs. In addition to industrial production, such mixtures can also be easily mixed at home. All you have to do is mix the salt with 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 large. Depending on the addition, it can range from a salad to a soup.

Inca salt:

This salt is extracted by hand in millennia-old Inca salt basins in the Andean plateaus, which is where it gets its name. In addition to its high purity, Inca salt has a coarser structure, similar to that of Fleur de Sel. In addition, there is the pink color, which allows you to recognize the salt. In addition to seasoning dishes, it is also very suitable for mixing with spices and herbs, but soups, cold dishes and fish dishes can also be refined with Inca salt.

Murray River Salt:

This salt takes its name from an Australian river. Since it was once an inland sea, it still contains saline water today. There are also parts of the sea that are still preserved underground today. This means that the river's water is unusable for agriculture and is instead used for salt production. These are mildly salty tasting, pink flakes. The red pigments come from a salt-tolerant algae.

Alpine salt:

This rock salt is mined in the Bavarian and Austrian Alps. There, the evaporation of the ancient sea formed a thick layer of salt, which in turn became trapped under layers of rock over the years. Due to its high iron content, Alpine salt has a reddish-brown color and a very strong and intense taste. This makes it suitable for seasoning a wide variety of dishes, although dark meats and hearty dishes benefit most from the spice. It can also be used as a base for herbal and spice salts.