The Cupboard
It seems everything you read or listen to decry the use of the most basic seasoning and preservative known to man. Salt has over time developed a terrible reputation for causing illnesses ranging from high blood pressure, heart and kidney disease. The real truth however, is like with most things it is not the salt that is the issue but rather the quantity and how it is used. A good rule of thumb is everything in moderation...This month’s The Cupboard is dedicated to salts. For a lot of the information contained in this article, I am using research from the online New World Encylopedia.
Salt is a mineral, composed or sodium chloride, which is commonly eaten by humans. The forms of salt include, unrefined (sea salt), refined (table salt) and iodized salt. It is classified as a crystalline solid and is either white, pale pink or light grey in color, normally obtained from sea water or rock deposits. Natural sea salt includes vital trace minerals in addition to sodium chloride. Edible rock salts may be slightly grey in color due to this mineral content.
Sodium and chloride, the two components of salt, are necessary for the survival of all living creatures...in other words, salt is important. What has been found in research, however, is that salt cravings are usually caused by deficiencies in trace minerals or sodium chloride. Salt is also involved in regulating water content (fluid balance) in the body.
So what does this mean to you, use salt as a compliment rather than a food group! One way I personally use to control my salt intake is to first use only kosher or sea salt and rather than cooking with it, I use to finish with a light application which creates that “top note” in the taste buds, which is what we all desire.
Following are a few varieties of sea or gourmet salts that you might want to explore. These salts which are referred to as Fleur de Sel (natural sea salt) are harvested by hand and vary in taste depending upon the regions from which they are harvested. You can also find different flavored salts that are wonderful in cooking.
For those of you who do have health issues and have been directed by your physician to avoid salt, please, FOLLOW YOUR PHYSICIAN’S INSTRUCTIONS. To flavor your foods explore herbs and other wonderful natural flavorings for your food. For information on herbs, please refer to our previous issues.
Hawaiian Red Grain
Rose’ Andes Mountain
Black Lava
Fleur de Sel (Mediterranean, Mexican, etc.)
Kosher
Enjoy!
