Today I would like to discuss something that has recently come to my attention. It seems that people are afraid of salt!
It is true that table salt, the stuff that is pure white and pours like silk is not so good for us. However, natural salts such as Celtic Sea Salt or Himalayan Salt are full of essential minerals such as zinc, copper, potassium and calcium. For a full analysis, see these websites:
Celtic Sea Salt: http://curezone.com/foods/salt/Celtic_Sea_Salt_Analysis.asp
Himalayan Salt:
http://www.saltnews.com/chemical-analysis-natural-himalayan-pink-salt/
Our body’s need salt for these nutrients but also for cellular processes: See this excerpt from the Royal Society of Chemistry:
“It is the sodium (ions) present in salt that the body requires in order to perform a variety of essential functions. Salt helps maintain the fluid in our blood cells and is used to transmit information in our nerves and muscles. It is also used in the uptake of certain nutrients from our small intestines. The body cannot make salt and so we are reliant on food to ensure that we get the required intake.”
http://www.rsc.org/get-involved/hot-topics/Salt/do-we-need-salt.asp
The primary reason I wanted to impart this information is because salt will add so much more to your cooking! Basically, you can add multitudes of spices, vegetables and herbs to your meal but if you do not add the salt, the flavour will not be there – at least not in it’s full capacity.
Salt brings out the flavour of the other ingredients in a meal! I am not suggesting you load your plate up with salt they way it was done back in the 1950’s. What I am saying is that before you serve a meal from the pot (such as a curry, stew, casserole, pasta dish), add salt to taste. Add it to your dressings, roast vegetables and dips as well. With practice, you will learn what the right amount is for you and your family. I will usually add about 1 tsp salt for a meal that would serve 6 people. It is a very individual measurement though and a family will usually develop a taste for salt together if it is added meals on a regular basis.
The way to tell the good salt from the bad is the moisture content. Table salt is stripped of nutrients, bleached and contains additives that prevent it from clumping. The real stuff will absorb moisture and will not pour so well. This is what you want though as here lies your flavour and your nutrients.
So go forth and salt your dishes if you don’t already.
Discover a new realm of flavour!
