Table salt has been a valued seasoning since ancient times, and was also very valuable in earlier times. Quite without the addition of salt, many dishes would be almost inedible, although almost all foods naturally contain some salt. Although salt does not enjoy the best reputation from a health point of view, man could not live entirely without salt, as the mineral is an important component of the human body and must be supplied every day through food.
This is what you should know about table salt
Table salt has been a valued seasoning since ancient times, and was also very valuable in earlier times. Chemically, salts are compounds in which ions are arranged in a crystal lattice. Table salt or common salt is the special type of salt that is suitable for consumption and is therefore used in the kitchen for seasoning dishes. Salt is one of the most important and widely used seasonings in the whole world. It consists mainly of sodium chloride (NaCl), which is not only a component of blood, but also absolutely necessary for human cell metabolism. Table salt appeared very early in the history of mankind. Exact figures can hardly be determined, but the origin of salt consumption dates back several thousand years. At that time, salt was a very valuable product that was also used for bartering. Important trade routes were built especially for business with salt, such as the Italian “Via Salaria” (Salt Road), which ran from the port in Ostia to Rome. The salt we use today may already be several hundred million years old. The oldest way to obtain salt is its extraction from salty sea water. So it is not surprising that salt was first discovered and used in regions near the coast. In the past, table salt was used primarily for preserving food, in addition to seasoning. It had already been recognized that salt removes water from food, which makes it keep longer. The modern extraction of salt is done by evaporation or vaporization in so-called salt works. In addition to sea salt, which is obtained by evaporation and today covers about one-fifth of the world’s salt consumption, rock salt is also widely used. The raw material from which rock salt is extracted comes from natural underground salt deposits and is usually dug up or otherwise extracted. Sometimes table salt has additives added to it. It often contains anti-caking agents such as lime or health-promoting minerals such as iodine or fluoride. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the German Nutrition Society (DGE) recommend a maximum salt consumption of six grams per day. This corresponds to about two level teaspoons of table salt. However, this value is reached very quickly, since salt not only exists in isolated form, but is also contained to a small extent in every natural food. Most people therefore eat significantly more salt than is recommended by experts, often almost twice as much.
Importance for health
Table salt does not have the best reputation from a health perspective. In larger quantities, it increases blood pressure, which can cause serious cardiovascular disease in the long term. However, the body cannot survive entirely without salt. In addition, most dishes would lack flavor without the addition of table salt. About one teaspoonful of salt is found in the blood of an adult human alone. Every day, the body loses some of its salt, for example through sweating. This missing salt must be replenished through food. Without sufficient salt, vital metabolic processes cannot run smoothly.
Ingredients and nutritional values
| Nutritional information |
Amount per 100 gram |
| Calories 0 | Fat content 0 g |
| Cholesterol 0 mg |
Sodium 38.758 mg |
| Potassium 8 mg | Carbohydrates 0 g |
| Protein 0 g |
Vitamin C 0 mg |
However, some minerals are naturally present in salt. Some table salts also have other minerals added artificially. 100 grams of natural table salt contain on average:
- 250mg calcium
- 1000mg chloride
- 0.1mg iron
- 0.05mg fluoride
- 2μg iodine
- 120mg magnesium
Intolerances and allergies
There is no allergy to salt. This would also be fatal, after all, salt is an important component of our body. The salt balance of the body must be balanced every day by the intake of salt. However, too much salt is not healthy either. If too much salt is eaten, the body tries to balance its budget by storing more water. However, people with high blood pressure in particular should keep a close eye on their salt consumption. In the long term, too much salt consumption can promote the development of cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and strokes.
Shopping and kitchen tips
In general, salt has a very long shelf life when stored in a dry place. However, salt can become lumpy, especially during prolonged storage in the kitchen due to the high humidity prevailing here, as it absorbs moisture from the air. This can be remedied by adding grains of rice to the salt shaker along with the salt. The rice grains themselves do not fit through the holes in the shaker and thus remain in the container, where they draw the moisture out of the salt. In this way, the table salt remains fine-grained and dry even without added anti-caking agents. In addition to conventional table salt, gourmets can also find more unusual varieties such as natural fleur de sel, pink Himalayan salt, black Hawaiian salt with activated charcoal and a nutty flavor, salt from Persia with a few blue salt crystals or smoked salt. Such salts are a special treat either for the eyes or even for sensitive palates. In addition to fancy types of salt, spiced salts are also very popular. These are a mixture of salt and one or more spices or herbs. There are no limits to the possibilities for different seasoned salts. Classics are, for example, the garlic salt or the herb salt, which usually contains different varieties of herbs.
Preparation tips
Almost every cooked dish becomes edible only with the addition of salt. Vegetables, potatoes, pasta and similar foods taste best when about a level teaspoon of salt has already been added to the cooking water. Nevertheless, to keep the salt content in the food as low as possible, it is advisable to use only a little salt when cooking and to emphasize the taste with other seasonings. With a salt shaker at the table, everyone can add salt to their liking.
