Salt and its variances

So, discussion broke out about salt, smoking it, etc. Then, just moments ago, I was advertised a column about pink salt and its rise. Of course, the ad was on my work computer and I only browse the forum on my phone, cue the unsolved mysteries theme song.

So what's up with salt nowadays? I try to limit my salt intake (not a fan of super salty foods) and only use iodized salt, am I missing out on something?

Edit:
This is the article referenced

https://getpocket.com/explore/item/h...=pocket-newtab

IMO, yes! I too try to limit salt and gave up table salt years ago. However, I got into the "specialty" salts -- Himalayan Pink and some of the coarser flavored ones like I posted earlier that I now keep on the table in grinders. Some of my friends cook on blocks of Himalayan Pink salt as they discuss in the link below. I've had fish and steak that they cooked that way and it is great. It adds a special flavor, but doesn't add much saltiness.

https://www.themanual.com/food-and-d...block-cooking/

https://www.amazon.com/Himalite-Hima...xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

Himalayan pink salt has a lot of trace elements, pretty much all I use, occasionally sea salt. Don't use table salt at all.

In th fall of 2007 I went down to the local feed mill and bought a 50 lb bag of animal feed salt to salt deer hides to store them before processing for a jacket etc.

Most of the salt that has been used in my house since then for canning, shakers, etc. has come from that bag.

I have played with other salts such as the Himalayan and smoked salts. I have thought about trying to smoke some of my own. But I don't see huge differences and think that for most things salt is salt.

If you are a serious chef you know there are all varieties of salt from all over the world. Himalayan Salt, Celtic Salt, Grey Salt, Kosher Salt and on and on. Each has it's own subtle flavor based on the minerals it contains and the grind it has.

Does it make a difference? It's one of those things you have to sample and decide for yourself.

I had a science geek explain to me the various structures of the salt molecules. I cannot repeat what he said, in part because it was a while ago, and because my chemistry is so rusty I did not completely understand it. There are many chemical variances in the molecule and those change again with the addition of various trace minerals was the basic underlying fact he was relaying. On a personal note the pink salt and sea salt are the two I most frequently use.

Potassium salt advised for health consideration — not the taste buds — yesterday. Figure I will not detect much difference in taste and use the stuff quite sparingly, mostly with breakfast. :)

*Edit — Meaning, I consume very little sale except with breakfast, regardless of whether it’s iodized or potassium. Too early, no coffee on hand. ;)

All salt is sea salt, whether it is taken from the sea or extracted from a mine. The latter being deposited by prehistoric seas.
We use LoSalt for cooking. Human kidneys were designed if you like to excrete potassium and preserve sodium. Because we add so much salt to our food we have become sodium excreters which is one of the probable causes of high blood pressure and renal failure.

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Originally Posted by Kees

<cool facts re: salt clipped out here>

Because we add so much salt to our food we have become sodium excreters which is one of the probable causes of high blood pressure and renal failure.

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Fortunately, I’m primarily habituated to salting my eggs and not much else...and minimize intake of processed foods, fats (woops, liking the dyslexic typo here) foods, etc.


Even better was the fact the rest of my health statistics / numbers made the care provider quite audibly envious. I kinda needed something positive and got a decent report card at the finish line. ;)

I appreciate all the replies!

I'll give some pink salt a shot, try it on eggs versus the sea salt and table salt I have already. It would be a simple test to throw some on an egg each and taste test myself.

The potassium chloride topic is interesting, but I will forgo any ventures into that. My cholesteral is neigh immeasurable and my BP is a bit below normal. I was blessed with some solid healthy genes from my parents.

I heard about smoked salt and immediately thought of being able to add a hint of smoke to foods over winter. I'm curious on methodology and how much smoke flavor is actually imparted onto the salted food...

Potassium Chloride doesn't taste like salt. It has a bitter metallic aftertaste to it and too much Potassium can kill you. However if you need to limit your salt intake you have no choice. Salt is a universal flavor enhancer and is hard to avoid unless you cook and bake from scratch.

Even though most salt (Halite) does come via the sea depending on the location and Geology the trace elements can vary tremendously.

Salt is salt and my taste buds that have been hardened over the years can not tell much if any difference.:shrug:

I am partial to Coarse grinds for cooking

Himalayan is my fav, followed closely by a Kosher Sea Salt, to be honest, I like it for the ease of measurement while cooking, being able to actually take a "Pinch"

Same with Pepper we use a coarse grind and keep both in small Ramikens

I haven't used a Salt Shaker in years :)


I found that when actually monitoring salt intake the worst offender is NOT the salt you add, but the salt that was added while processing it, moved away from most processed foods years ago and stopped monitoring salt.
I noticed that my taste buds had changed when I cut out processed food, the bad news is that most food I don't cook myself tastes "Salty"


First world problems

I did an experiment this week with some pan fried chicken breast and used table salt and sea salt. There was a slight difference in taste, but the sea salt grind was much coarser. I'm sure there's a study that would show if there is a correlation of grind size to flavor, but I have never seen table salt in a coarser grind in my grocery store.

I'm a big fan of the 4 or 5 different types of peppercorn mixes for a grinder. Originally did it because preground spices lose their flavor faster, it has a nice added depth to the pepper flavor profile.

The whole limit the salt intake is mainly because I've just never really been a huge fan of salt flavor and the "salt brings out flavor" thing is out of the depth of my palate. I too have cut out alot of processed items, but thats mainly because I cooked something similar on my own, just messing around in the kitchen, and I just like the taste better.

That being said, I still eat more braunschweger than average, a whole shitload of salt in there.

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Originally Posted by gssixgun

I am partial to Coarse grinds for cooking

Himalayan is my fav, followed closely by a Kosher Sea Salt, to be honest, I like it for the ease of measurement while cooking, being able to actually take a "Pinch"

Same with Pepper we use a coarse grind and keep both in small Ramikens

I haven't used a Salt Shaker in years :)


I found that when actually monitoring salt intake the worst offender is NOT the salt you add, but the salt that was added while processing it, moved away from most processed foods years ago and stopped monitoring salt.
I noticed that my taste buds had changed when I cut out processed food, the bad news is that most food I don't cook myself tastes "Salty"


First world problems

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My son is on a salt restricted diet so I pretty much make everything from scratch around here. Once you start looking at salt in foods, most processed food and even food you would never think of as containing salt is all loaded with it. Trying to stay within 2000mg a day is a real challenge. If you eat out a lot then forget it.

Without any research I bet can guarantee that most process food does not contain Himalayan pink....:rofl2:

For all practical purposes in my opinion salt is salt.

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Originally Posted by 32t

Without any research I bet can guarantee that most process food does not contain Himalayan pink....:rofl2:

For all practical purposes in my opinion salt is salt.

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I'd be willing to bet if you were blindfolded and went down a line with different types of salt and differing degrees of coarseness you would be able to tell the difference. If nothing else some types would taste "saltier".

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Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Potassium Chloride doesn't taste like salt. It has a bitter metallic aftertaste to it and too much Potassium can kill you. However if you need to limit your salt intake you have no choice. Salt is a universal flavor enhancer and is hard to avoid unless you cook and bake from scratch.

Even though most salt (Halite) does come via the sea depending on the location and Geology the trace elements can vary tremendously.

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I never tasted any difference. Unlike artificial sweeteners that have a terrible metallic aftertaste.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by thebigspendur

My son is on a salt restricted diet so I pretty much make everything from scratch around here. Once you start looking at salt in foods, most processed food and even food you would never think of as containing salt is all loaded with it. Trying to stay within 2000mg a day is a real challenge. If you eat out a lot then forget it.

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Food processing industry adds salt to almost everything. In the Netherlands an average adult consumes 8,5 grams of salt a day. Recommended intake is 6 grams. You only need 1-3 grams. 80% of what an average adult consumes comes from processed food, 20% is added at home. These are numbers from the website of the Dutch Heart Foundation.

Puck up a hungry mans meal from your grocer's freezer isle. Over 1000 mg. of sodium in one entree.

#1 problem for most heart disease cases, is salt. I'm one of um. Mines also hereditary.

Frozen and prepared meals are a long collection of chemicals. Without salt they would taste terrible or have no taste at all. Restaurant meals are next especially all fast food. Bakery goods are another big salt item. Between salt added and baking soda and powder they can be loaded with salt.

These meals should be sold with a diuretic.