Russ and I gave up the old fashioned iodized salt of our youth a few years ago. Our nutrition learning journey led us not to eliminate salt, but to use salt rich in minerals to add complexity to our dishes. There are so many types! We utilize a few main types depending upon the dish and the flavor we are aiming for.
Unlike traditional table salt, which is mined and heavily processed, stripping it of minerals, sea salt comes from evaporated sea water and is abundant in trace minerals that support essential functions in the body.
The human body cannot live without sodium, it uses it to maintain proper fluid balance and prevent dehydration, prevent low blood pressure, and to contract and relax muscles, to name a few. However, the body also responds negatively when there is too much sodium in your system by retaining fluid between cells, causing your kidneys to be overworked and raising blood pressure. It is important to find a balance.
Russ and I do not consciously restrict our salt intake, but we do use it only to bring out flavor in a dish, which it turns out, requires minimal amounts. This is especially true if you use a sea salt, as the flavors are deeper and more complex. Here is what we learned when we made the switch.
Our hands down fave is Pink Himalayan Salt. Himalayan salt is harvested in the Himalayan Mountains of Pakistan. It is salt in it most pure form. Uber rich in minerals, you experience a bolder flavor, and as a result, need less to make a dish pop. We use Pink Himalayan when adding salt to a recipe, or when brightening a dish with a sprinkle once finished.
Celtic salt is naturally moist and is harvested from Atlantic seawater off the coast of Brittany, France. The Celtic method involves using wooden rakes, so no metal touches the salt. The salt is then dried in the sun in clay ponds, again gathered with wooden tools to maintain living enzymes to the extent possible. Super rich in all 84 live elements found in seawater, Russ and I use Celtic salt when brining in a liquid, or to season red meat prior to cooking. We eat red meat rarely, so it is a special treat to coat the meat, and then scrape the excess salt off before grilling or cooking. The result is a tender flavorful steak.
Flaked sea salt is our go to salt for shellfish or veggies. Slightly briny, with a nuanced complex flavor, the optimal flaked sea salt comes from England's Essex Coast. To use this type of salt, you crush it in your fingertips ad sprinkle it on. It dissolves fast, making it a great choice for warm foods like steamed veggies or any kind of fish or shellfish.
While there are many more types of salt, we have found these three types to give us the dual benefits of bountiful minerals and delightful flavor.
Unlike traditional table salt, which is mined and heavily processed, stripping it of minerals, sea salt comes from evaporated sea water and is abundant in trace minerals that support essential functions in the body.
The human body cannot live without sodium, it uses it to maintain proper fluid balance and prevent dehydration, prevent low blood pressure, and to contract and relax muscles, to name a few. However, the body also responds negatively when there is too much sodium in your system by retaining fluid between cells, causing your kidneys to be overworked and raising blood pressure. It is important to find a balance.
Russ and I do not consciously restrict our salt intake, but we do use it only to bring out flavor in a dish, which it turns out, requires minimal amounts. This is especially true if you use a sea salt, as the flavors are deeper and more complex. Here is what we learned when we made the switch.
Our hands down fave is Pink Himalayan Salt. Himalayan salt is harvested in the Himalayan Mountains of Pakistan. It is salt in it most pure form. Uber rich in minerals, you experience a bolder flavor, and as a result, need less to make a dish pop. We use Pink Himalayan when adding salt to a recipe, or when brightening a dish with a sprinkle once finished.
Celtic salt is naturally moist and is harvested from Atlantic seawater off the coast of Brittany, France. The Celtic method involves using wooden rakes, so no metal touches the salt. The salt is then dried in the sun in clay ponds, again gathered with wooden tools to maintain living enzymes to the extent possible. Super rich in all 84 live elements found in seawater, Russ and I use Celtic salt when brining in a liquid, or to season red meat prior to cooking. We eat red meat rarely, so it is a special treat to coat the meat, and then scrape the excess salt off before grilling or cooking. The result is a tender flavorful steak.
Flaked sea salt is our go to salt for shellfish or veggies. Slightly briny, with a nuanced complex flavor, the optimal flaked sea salt comes from England's Essex Coast. To use this type of salt, you crush it in your fingertips ad sprinkle it on. It dissolves fast, making it a great choice for warm foods like steamed veggies or any kind of fish or shellfish.
While there are many more types of salt, we have found these three types to give us the dual benefits of bountiful minerals and delightful flavor.
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