FASCINATING
FACTS ON SALT
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- Rock Salt: Has a grayish cast because it's not
as refined as other salts, which means it retains more minerals
and harmless impurities. It comes in chunky crystals and is used
predominantly by combining with ice to make ice cream in crank-style
ice-cream makers. It is not recommended for cooking and table
use.
- Sour Salt: Also called citric salt, is extracted
from acidic fruits, such as lemons and limes. It's used to add
tartness to traditional dishes like Borscht.
- Seasoned Salt: Is regular salt combined with other
flavoring ingredients, examples being onion salt, garlic salt
and celery salt.
- Salt Substitutes: Frequently used by those on low-salt
diets, are products containing little or no sodium
Ten Factoids on Salt
- 1. Most salt sold in supermarkets is labeled "iodized"
which indicates that the salt has had iodine added to it, usually
in the form of potassium iodide. Seafood as well as sea salt
contains iodine naturally and the supplement is unnecessary if
there are sufficient quantities of either in one's diet. We require
less than 225 micrograms of iodine a day.
- 2. Studies completed in the late 1980's and 1990's
indicate that salt is not the killer it has been declared to
be. They show, in fact, an increased risk of death among those
with the lowest sodium levels and show a large population (between
75-80%) is unaffected by salt. Moreover, there are no studies
which show that salt increases blood pressure, although certain
studies demonstrate that some hypertensive people (about 8% of
the general population) can reduce an already elevated blood
pressure by reducing the amount of salt they eat.
- 3. Salt has more than 14,000 uses. Less than 4% of
all salt produced each year goes into food. It is the second
most important element--sulfur is the first--in the chemical
industry and is used in the manufacture of fabrics, glass, cosmetics,
and ammunitions.
- 4. Fleur de Sel is the premier condiment salt, like
Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale de Modena or the finest extra virgin
olive oil. It's the cream atop the milk, and has been called
the caviar of salt.
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