Different Salt Crystals

To most people salt is a grainy white substance you shake onto your food. Although this is correct, there are other types of salt. Salt crystals can come in a variety of sizes, textures and colors--and seasoning food is not their only use.

Table Salt

This crystal--what many would simply refer to as "salt"--is certainly the most common of all the salt crystals. It is mined from underground salt deposits and is popular in baking because its texture is fine grained and it can be measured easily. Table salt is chemically refined so natural minerals and oligo elements are removed, leaving mainly sodium chloride. Additives like calcium phosphate and magnesium carbonate are occasionally added into the crystals to stop them from sticking together.

Kosher Salt

Kosher salt, like table salt, is mainly made up of sodium chloride. The major difference between the two is that Kosher salt crystals have almost no additives although they can include sodium ferrocyanide to ensure the crystals do not clump together. Measure for measure it is half as dense as table salt, even though it is much larger. It is popular within commercial kitchens and is coarse in texture. A downside to kosher salt is that it does not dissolve as well as standard table salt. This variety of salt crystal is used to draw the blood from kosher meat.

Sea Salt

Sea salt crystals are made by evaporating seawater. They are not refined like table salt; the natural minerals remain in the sea salt crystals. These minerals, such as magnesium and potassium, offer a small difference in health benefits but have a larger impact on taste. The crystals can be fine or coarse and come in a variety of colors, including gray, pink, brown and black.

Iodized Salt

Iodized salt crystals are similar to table salt, except they have iodine added, usually in the form of potassium iodide. The reason for this is to treat and prevent iodine deficiencies, a condition that can causes hypothyroidism or enlargement of the thyroid. The human body cannot naturally create iodine, so it is vital this is consumed in a person's diet.

Rock Salt

Also known as halite, rock salt contains minerals removed from table salt and is gray. It is not usually used directly in food as it is much larger than other forms of salt and difficult to dissolve. A more popular use for the salt is to melt ice on the roads. It can be found in places like dry lake beds and estuaries and is either panned for or more commonly mined.

References

• Asian Online Recipes: Different Types of Salt
• Britannica: Iodized Salt
• Smoking Meat: Kosher Salt--What is it?
• Mayo Clinic: Sea Salt vs. Table Salt--Which is Healthier
• American Thyroid Association: Iodine Deficiency
• Life 360: Why You Should Use Better Salt