The Difference Between Sea Salt And Himalayan Salt
There are two basic types of salt: sea salt and Himalayan salt. Most of the salt produced is sea salt, which is the sediment left behind when tectonic plates collided in ancient times and the sediment on the ocean floor was sucked up by landslides. The salt we usually have on our tables or use for cooking comes from rock salt or halite, a type of sea salt.
Today, sea salt is produced from the sea, especially from the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, and is used in France and Italy. Although salt is processed to contain only sodium and chloride, this salt contains minerals, including iodine. Most of it is iodized. Sea salt contains natural iodine.
In the United States, salt was iodized in the 1930s to prevent the human disease hyperthyroidism. Now that we know that iodine can be obtained from dark green vegetables such as spinach and from seaweed such as sea lions (aka Welsh roe), this is almost redundant. Such processed salt does not contain all minerals, only sodium and chloride, the main components of salt.
Sea salt is usually organic and extracted by hand, as is the salt from the khewra Salt Mine in Pakistan, the second largest salt mine in the world after Wieliczka (Poland), a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Pakistani mine has a post office, a mosque, and other buildings made of salt bricks, making a tour of the salt mine an educational experience. The underground scene is truly breathtaking, thanks in part to the lighting effects.
In the Indian subcontinent, black salt (kala namaq) is used for fruits such as jamun (Java plum) and pharsa (Grewia asiatica), but it is also sometimes used for cooking. It is not really black, but a dirty pink color, but the smell of sulfur repels people from eating it.
Also, unlike Himalayan salt, Pakistani salt is sea salt and comes in various shades of pink. It is one of the “gourmet” salts that fetch quite a high price abroad. Its color is determined by the minerals it contains, and its sodium and chloride content is the lowest of all salts.
Salemarino salt, mined off the coast of Sicily in Italy, also contains magnesium, potassium, fluoride, and iodine. Also popular is gray French sea salt, which is used in salads, fresh grilled vegetables, and meats. Also from the Gerland region of France, “Fleur de Sal” (Portuguese: Fleur de Sal) is a salt extracted from salt marshes. This salt must be harvested under the right climatic conditions and can only be harvested once a year.
Compared to Himalayan salt, sea salt slightly resembles snowflakes, making it a beautiful condiment.
The problem with these salts is that salt should not be added to food after it has been cooked, as it increases water retention and may damage arterial walls. However, it is impressive that Himalayan salt and sea salt are often less harmful on the menu than processed table salt. The only question is whether you want to spend money on salt when you can get all the nutrients you need from fresh fruits and vegetables.
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