Himalayan Salt: Table Salt Versus The Natural Sea Salt

Table Salt Versus The Natural Sea Salt - The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Overview: You should be aware that salt is produced by the evaporation of seawater. We can use it for cooking and cosmetics. It is also at times referred to as solar salt or bay salt. Similar to mineral salt the making of sea salt has been taking place since prehistoric times. There are many cooks who are of the opinion that sea salt tastes better than the salt from mines.

History: You will be able to find mention of sea salt in the Vinaya Pitaka. Vinaya Pitaka is considered to be a Buddhist manuscript. It was written in the mid-5^th century BC. The main method of producing sea salt is by evaporating the water from the sea brine. In those countries where this warm and dry climate such a process can be undertaken with the help of solar energy .Many countries are also making use of fuel sources. The modern sea salt which we get today is found entirely in the Mediterranean countries and other warm, dry climates.

Composition: On analyzing the components of sea salt, you will find that it is made up of 98% sodium chloride. On comparing it with table salt it has 99.9% purity. The remaining 2% consist of other minerals. These are iron, magnesium, sulfur, or iodine. Contradictory to table salt, which can be got from land-based sources whereas natural sea salt will not consist of added potassium iodide or anti-caking ingredients?

Artificial sea salt: You will also be able to come across many different types of artificial sea salts. These can be used for various applications including research testing. Artificial sea salts are able to meet the ASTM standard for the preparation of artificial seawater.

Difference between sea salt and table salt: There is a great deal of difference between sea salt and table salt:

You will be able to get sea salt directly by evaporating seawater. Sea salt is also not processed meaning that it undergoes the leas to processing. This is why sea salt is able to retain trace levels of important minerals such as potassium, magnesium, calcium as well as many other nutrients.
On the other hand table salt is mined from the salt deposits. It is then processed to accord it with a fine texture so that mixes easily so that it can be used in recipes.

Different types of salts

Fleur de Sel: We can use Fleur de Sel salt for a special-occasion table salt. Just add a touch of this salt to be pinched. Later on you can sprinkle it over food just before eating. Since it is delicately flavored, it is sable to add a touch of salt to freshly sliced melon or tomato.

Crystalline Sea Salt: This salt can be used for giving a spicy flavor to many of the just-cooked foods. These crystals will augment anything.

Kosher Salt: You can use this type of salt for cooking. This is because Kosher salt is able to dissolve faster. Moreover its flavor is able to vanish quickly. This is why the Chefs recommend that you simply toss it on everything from pork roast to popcorn.

Pickling Salt: We can use pickling salt for brining sauerkraut and pickles. You will also be able to brine a turkey with it. However, you should take caution since pickling salt is highly concentrated when compared to the more commonly used kosher salt. This is why you should use less.

Rock Salt: Rock salt can be used for ice-cream making and deicing. It can also be paired with an ice in old-fashioned hand-cranked ice cream makers in order to control the temperature. It can also be used to deice your driveway and sidewalks in the winter season.

Benefits of Sea Salt for Health:

Sea salt is considered to be a much better option as a healthier alternative when compared with the regular iodized salt. Here’s how:
It is also able to strengthen our immune system to a great extent. When our immunity is boosted, your body is able to withstand the various autoimmune disorders such as fever, flu, allergies, cold etc.
As sea salt is a natural salt which has not undergone any sort of processing therefore the mineral content of the substance is able to stay intact. This is because no heat is applied. Also no sort of a damaging artificial element is mixed into it. This is why its alkalizing effect helps to balance the acid levels in our body. It will at the same time minimize the grave risks of fatal diseases.
You will also find that sea salt has an important role to play on your cardiovascular system. A study has shown that when we regularly intake sea salt diffused in water, it will be able to lower the levels of bad cholesterol in our body to a large extent. Unlike our regular salt we can use sea salt for maintaining our blood pressure and also in normalizing irregular heartbeat. Simply put with sea salt we can avert lots of life-threatening diseases such as heart block, strokes, heart attack etc. by maintaining the cardiovascular health.
It is also possible for us to deal with metabolic disorders such as diabetes mellitus. This disease is also treated by using sea salt. If you are suffering from diabetes then sea salt will be able to help you minimize the sugar levels in your bloodstream successfully.

Other uses

Holds artificial flowers in place: It is with the help of sea salt that you will be able to keep artificial flowers in the arrangement you want.
Clean artificial flowers: It is also possible to use sea salt to freshen up artificial flowers quickly irrespective of the fact that they may be original silk ones or the more common variety of nylon.
Keeps wicker looking new: It is a known fact that furniture which is made of wicker can yellow with exposure and age to the sun and elements.
Ease fireplace cleanup: Before going to sleep, you find that the fire is still burning in the hearth simply douse the flames with salt.
Give your brooms a fresh lease of life: If you soak a new straw broom with sea salt, it will last longer.
Clean your fish tank: With the help of sea salt, it is possible for you to remove the mineral deposits from the hard water in your fish tank.
End the ant parade: If there are ants in your home by sprinkling sea salt across the door frame will prevent the ant from crossing the sea salt barrier.
You can make your brass and copper polish shine: It is possible for you to shine you dull looking copper or brass items with the help of sea salt.
If you have been stung by a bee then you should immediately wet the sting and cover it with sea salt. In this way your pain will be lessened
Deodorize your sneakers: If you have stinky sneakers or canvas shoes then you can kill that odor by sprinkling a little salt in your canvas shoes

Some interesting tips

Boiling Water: If you add a pinch of sea salt to water, you water will boil at a higher temperature. In this way it will be able to reduce cooking time.
Peeling eggs: If you boil your eggs in water having sea salt it will peel more easily.
Poaching eggs: When you poach your eggs with salted sea water, it will help in setting the egg whites.
You can also test the freshness of an egg: In order to know the freshness of an egg simply place it in a cup of water and add two table spoons of sea salt. You will see that if the egg is fresh it will sink whereas a rotten egg will float.
When you have a sea salt bath will help to open up the pores while providing you with a healthy and youthful glow. They also help to treat certain skin conditions such as psoriasis. Sea salts can also relieve arthritis pain.
With the help of sea salts you can effectively clear sinus passageways. They also help to cleanse our lungs of mucous and phlegm.

In the end we can say that it is possible to use sea salt in many different ways. It can be used for making of products such as paper, plastic, polyester, glass, rubber as well as fertilizers right down to, soaps, household bleach detergents and dyes.

So these are the details regarding sea salt.