There is nothing versatile yet powerful in the palate than salt. Despite its granular, tiny structure, salt plays a vital role in cooking.
Imagine how your food tastes without it. Nothing beats the salt, even if you substitute it with herbs, spices, and other aromatic flavors.
However, we thought that salt was just the same. This is wrong. There are lots of salt variants aside from the one you used at home.
Knowing the different types of salt helps a lot, not just in your cooking or baking. Every salt has its specific uses and benefits that few people know.
This article will help you learn about each of the salt types for a healthier, better, and more suitable purpose. You will learn more than just table salt.
Here are the different types of salt that you should know, especially if you have just begun to learn about the different types of salt.
Table Salt
Table salt is the variant that is used in every household.
It has a fine texture, salty flavor, and is used for cooking and baking purposes.
This salt contains iodine, which protects your thyroid. No wonder it earned the nickname “Iodized Salt.”
Kosher Salt
The Kosher salt is the type commonly used by chefs due to its pinchable flakes and softness.
This salt has a coarse and flaky texture, mild flavor, and a suitable for seasoning your meat.
We can consider it as the chef’s favorite salt.
Sea Salt
Sea salt is a variant that undergoes minimal processing and is extracted from the seawater through evaporation.
This variant has a crisp-coarse texture, slightly briny flavor, and natural taste (from the sea itself).
It can be used for roasted vegetables and grilled meats. Sea salt contains different mineral content that makes its salty flavor different from the refined variants.
Flaky Salt
Flaky salt is a type that speaks for itself, with a hint of crunch.
It has a whisper-thin, flaky texture, a clean and mild flavor, and can be used as a finishing salt for steaks and salads.
Himalayan Pink Salt
Himalayan Pink salt is a variant that has earned much attention from many social media users around the world. It is often marketed for “health benefits” claims that you cannot earn from other salt variants.
However, its pinkish appearance does not make it much worse than other salt variants.
It is described as having a mild but slightly earthy flavor, crystalline in texture, and pinkish in appearance due to the trace minerals it contains.
This variant is a better choice for tabletop shakers or finishing dishes.
Smoked Salt
Smoked salt is another variant that offers a rich, wood-smoke-like flavor.
The type of salt has a coarse texture and, deep and smoky flavor.
This salt is typically used for grilled veggies, roasted potatoes, eggs, or BBQ.
Canning Salt
The Canning slat is a variant that is used by food manufacturing companies. Particularly, to make their foods preserved for a longer shelf life.
It has a neutral flavor with a fine texture.
This salt is best used for food manufacturing companies due to its quick dissolving process, and no additives are added.
Seasoned Salt
Seasoned salt is the one that is combined with spices and herbs.
Its texture is powdery, with aromatic and savory flavors.
It is the most common salt used for marinades, chicken, burgers, and fries. This is why fast-food orders are tempting in nature.
Celtic Sea Salt
Unlike the common sea salt, the Celtic Sea salt is a variant that was extracted from coastal regions and undergoes a natural sun-drying process.
This salt type has a chunky but damp texture, with a strong mineral flavor, and off-white color.
Such type of salt is typically used for seafood meals, to bring the food a natural ocean flavor.
Fleur de Sel
A salt meant for high-end kitchens? That’s no other than the Fleur de Sel.
This type of salt has a very thin, flaky texture, while having subtle and complex flavors.
You can use it if you are going to make some special dishes. What a way to earn someone’s affection and praise.
Pickling Salt
The Pickling salt is a variant that is almost identical to the canning salt. However, this salt is specifically used for your fermented or pickled vegetables.
It has a neutral flavor like the canning salt, but has a fine texture.
Black Salt (Kala Namak)
There is no more uncommon variant than the Black Salt. It is also known as the Kala Namak.
This salt type has a sulfuric aroma with a pinkish-black color.
The texture of this salt is powdery, while its flavor is tangy or egg-like.
It is the favorite salt used among vegans, vegetarians, and Indians for their cuisine. This salt is said to be used to mimic the egg flavors in vegan and vegetarian diets.
Hawaiian Red Salt (Alaea Salt)
Another uncommon salt is none other than the Hawaiian Red Salt. Also known by some people as the Alaea salt.
This salt type is a combination of salt found in Hawaii, infused with the volcanic clay found in the same region.
It can be used for traditional Hawaiian dishes, seafood, and pork meals.
Its color is rusty-red, having a coarse texture, and earning a mild, earthy flavor.
Rock Salt / Ice Cream Salt
Another known salt variant is the ice cream salt. Commonly known as the rock salt.
This salt type has a large, grainy, chucky texture.
It is used mostly for making ice cream and adding it to ice to control the temperature of a container.
Rock salt is mostly used for industrial purposes, but most people prefer not to consume it due to its large chunks.
The Healthier Salt Variant
Now that you have learned the 14 types of salt, know that there may be other salt variants yet to be extracted.
But knowing these 14 salt types is also one way to find out which suits better for certain occasions.
But one question remains unanswered: Among the salt variants, which one is the healthier?
The scientific answer to that is NONE. All salts that are consumable contain the same sodium content. You just need to learn how to use them in suitable periods.
Despite other minerals found in some salt variants, it is still far from making one healthier. Salt industries usually highlight one variant over the other as a way to market their product.
What matters now is not which one will make you healthier. Instead, ask yourself how much salt you should use and consume.
Be reminded that too much is dangerous to your health. No wonder health organizations such as the American Heart Association always warn us of the possibility of lessening our salt intake.
The more you consume salt, the higher your blood pressure will be.
The Suitable Salt Variant for Specific Purposes
Now that you have differentiated all 14 variants of the salt. Their specific purposes will make you smarter in dealing with these sodium contents.
Kosher salt is for daily cooking. Table salt is suitable for making. While smoked salt allows you a deep smoky flavor.
Pickling or canning for pickling and preserving. Hawaiian red salt and black salt for cultural purposes. Himalayan pink salt is for finishing.
Although they are quite different in purpose. Knowing these salt variants better is the key to a consistent, healthier lifestyle.
Dealing with Salt in Your Healthy Lifestyle
Salt is better for your body. It is your ally for hydration, muscle function, and the nervous system.
Learning the different types of salt allows you to know when to use them properly. These 14 types are something that could create a versatile effect on the taste.
It provides a different flavor, better taste, and a perfect balance to the sweets or desserts.
Try at least one among the 14 salt variants, and you will realize how different they are. How can they achieve a better, healthier lifestyle?