What Are The 14 Different Types Of Salt And How To Use Them

Oct 04, 2018 by apost team

The element sodium chloride, better known as salt has been an important part of our lives since the beginning of time. We'd be lost cooking in the kitchen without it, and many foods wouldn't be the same unsalted. Too much salt is bad for you, they say, yet the human body can't survive without a little of it.

Salt is used to flavor food, preserve food, in healthcare, industry, and more. You may be surprised to learn that there are over a dozen different kinds of salt, each with their own different properties and uses. Take a look at these 14 types of salt, their peculiarities, and ways to use them.

1. Table Salt

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Table salt is the most common salt of all. You'd be hard-pressed to find a home without it. It comes to our shakers from natural salt deposits in the earth that are heated to 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit. Manufacturers add iodine to table salt. That's important to prevent hypothyroidism and other health conditions.

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2. Kosher Salt

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Lots of recipes call for kosher salt because it's flaky and dissolves quickly helping to spread flavor. Coarse, and crystal-like, it's used to cure kosher meats. Like table salt, it comes from mines in the earth, but it can also come from the sea. It contains no iodine.

3. Sea Salt

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Sold unrefined and grainier than table salt, sea salt is favored by health food advocates. It has a trace of iodine as well as zinc, potassium, and iron. As the name implies, it comes from the sea. It's processed through evaporation. It's tastier than table salt, but sadly, it may contain micro-plastics because of pollution. Use sparingly.

4. Fleur de Sel

istockphotos.com/joannawnuk Hand-harvested from tidal pools on the coast of Brittany, France, fleur de sel translates from French into "flower of the salt." Rich in minerals, it's the most expensive salt of them all because of the complicated harvesting process to get it. Conditions have to be so-so to harvest fleur de sel: dry, sunny, and with a slight breeze.

5. Himalayan Pink Salt

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Himalayan pink salt is also harvested by hand but from a special salt mine in the Himalayan Mountains. The purest salt of them all, it contains about 84 different elements and minerals. This pretty pink salt isn't limited to cooking for its uses. You'll find it in cosmetics, body products, and lamps.

6. Indian Black Salt

istockphotos.com/Tatyana Berkovich This fascinating salt is actually Himalayan pink salt mixed with spices, herbs, and seeds of the harad fruit. It's heated for 24 hours at high temps turning it a reddish-black shade and causing a slightly pungent taste when sprinkled on food. Vegetarians love Indian black salt because it adds savory flavor to dull tofu dishes. Known also as kala namak, it has long been used in Ayurvedic medicine. Look for this salt if you have high blood pressure. It has less sodium than other salts.

7. Celtic Sea Salt

istockphotos.com/Karisssa Sometimes called "grey salt", Celtic sea salt is related to fleur de sel. This coarse salt also comes from tidal pools in France. During harvest, its allowed to touch the bottom of the salt pan giving it a distinct color. Since it's more dense and moist than table or kosher salt, you only need a little to flavor food. The briny taste is perfect for seafood, meat, and some baked goods.

8. Flake salt

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With its odd irregular shape, flake salt is big on flavor but low in minerals. The low-mineral salt stands out from the rest due to its shape and intense flavor. The delicate flakes are extracted from seawater by evaporation or boiling. Because it dissolves so quickly, it elevates the flavor of anything from meats to chocolate. Use it as a finishing salt.

9. Black Hawaiian Salt

istockphotos.com/NightAndDayImages From the volcanic islands of Hawaii, comes a bold-flavored sea salt appropriately called black Hawaiian salt. Actually, most of today's Hawaiian black salt is produced for commercial sale by blending regular salt with activated charcoal. This gives it its dark hue. This salt is said to have some medicinal values including relieving muscle cramps and improving brain function. The charcoal removes toxins, helps digestion, and even fights aging. Use it as a finishing salt on pork and seafood. The taste is smokey and nutty.

10. Red Hawaiian Salt

istockphotos.com/olgakr Also known as alaea salt, red Hawaiian salt is harvested from the Pacific and mixed with red alaea volcanic clay. This gives it a pinkish-brown color. It's been used in purification and cleansing rituals by natives for centuries, and it's also used in Hawaiian cuisine like poke and jerky. Use red Hawaiian salt for grilling and roasting pork.

11. Smoked Salt

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Smoked salt adds a special touch to meat and vegetable dishes. It's created by smoking the salt similar to smoking meat by using different types of bark-free wood for about two weeks. It turns out to be very aromatic. Hickory, oak, applewood, alder wood, and mesquite are all popular woods used.

12. Pickling Salt

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Pickling salt is sea salt that has been refined to remove the trace minerals that would cause discoloration. It's pure sodium chloride, no additives, no iodine, and no-anti-caking agents. This salt makes it possible to enjoy tasty pickles and preserve foods by canning. It's possible to make pickles with kosher salt, but the results aren't the same since it dissolves more quickly in the brine.

13. Curing Salt

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Sometimes called Prague powder, curing salt is a combination of sodium nitrate and table salt. A bold pink color, it's important in the meat-curing process because it prevents the growth of Clostridium botulinum, which causes botulism. Of course, it can't be used as a finishing salt; it's toxic to humans in high doses. The levels of nitrate on the cured meat, however, aren't harmful when ingested.

14. Epsom Salt

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If you've ever had sore muscles, sunburn, or constipation, you've likely used soothing Epsom salt. It's used externally as a soak and mixed with water to take internally where it draws water into the colon to clear blockages. Epsom salt's main ingredient is magnesium sulfate. Although not used in cooking, Epsom salt is used to make beer and tofu.

Did you learn something new about salt? Are you ready to try some of them? Spread the word about their benefits and uses.

Our content is created to the best of our knowledge, yet it is of general nature and cannot in any way substitute an individual consultation with your doctor. Your health is important to us!