Salt (NaCl): Science, History & Cuisine
- Sylvia Rose
- Feb 25
- 5 min read
Salt is primarily sodium chloride (NaCl). As a naturally occurring mineral it's known as halite or rock salt. Vital for food preservation and health, salt provides the electrolytes sodium and chloride.
Salt is one of the most common substances on Earth. Oceans have about 3.5% salt by weight. The flavor of salt is one of the five basic tastes, which also include sweetness, sourness, bitterness, and umami.
Salt enhances flavors and increases palatability of food. For thousands of years it's used in food preservation, such as salting, brining, and pickling.
Salt is mostly sodium chloride (NaCl). Sea salt and mined salt may contain trace elements. Mined salt is often refined. In many counties, table salt has iodine added, except Norway, where iodized salt is illegal.
Salt crystals are translucent. Cubic in shape they're normally white but can have a blue or purple tinge due to impurities. When dissolved in water sodium chloride separates into Na+ and Cl− ions.
Solubility is 359 grams per liter. From cold solutions, salt crystallizes as the dihydrate NaCl·2H2O. Solutions of sodium chloride have very different properties from those of pure water.
The freezing point is −21.12 °C (−6.02 °F) for 23.31 wt% of salt. The boiling point of saturated salt solution is around 108.7 °C (227.7 °F).
Table salt is about 40% sodium by weight. Six grams have 2400 mg. Sodium is also an electrolyte. It helps nerves and muscles function and works in osmotic regulation of water content or fluid balance in body organs.
Salt processing goes back to Neolithic times in today's Romania and later the Black Sea region of Solnitsata in Bulgaria. Agricultural lifestyles increase the body's need for salt, which is previously obtained from meat.
While people supplement early agriculture with hunting or livestock raising, the need for salt gives this compound a central role in history. Food preservation helps people survive long winters and travel vast distances.
Neolithic and later trade routes revolve around salt. Salt fish is a major export in ancient Egyptian trade. The Romans develop the Via Salaria, a system of roads facilitating salt transport across Italy.
Salt is a primary commodity on the Amber and Silk Roads. Roman soldiers may be fully or partially paid with salt, leading to the terms "salary" and "salting the wages".
Salt is one of the natural medicines used by great physician Dioscorides in the army of Nero, first century AD. It helps close and disinfect wounds. He's also a huge proponent of vinegar.
Venice and Genoa fight over salt rights, among other things, culminating in 1380 with Venetians gaining control of Adriatic trade. During medieval times, cities close to salt mines have an economic advantage.
Salzburg in Austria derives its name and wealth from the salt industry. The salt trade enriches these regions and fosters cultural exchange along its routes, resulting in development of practices and cuisines.
In Italy, salt is still traditionally during weddings for luck and longevity. In the 19th century, the El Paso Salt War erupts for control of immense salt lakes at the base of the Guadalupe Mountains in West Texas.
In food, salt is a flavor enhancer. It can amplify existing flavors and even suppress bitterness as it interacts with taste receptors of the tongue. When brining meats, salt adds flavor and helps meat stay moist during cooking.
This technique ensures tender and juicy results. In baking, salt enhances the flavor of breads and pastries while controlling yeast fermentation. Salt can change textures in different foods.
In fresh vegetables, it draws out moisture for a firm crisp texture. This is important in recipes like cucumber salad or the traditional dish gravlax, where salt cures salmon, changing its texture and enhancing its flavor.
Culinary potential of salt expands to include various infused products, such as truffle salt and smoked salt. These specialty salts are used to elevate dishes with their unique flavor profiles.
Regional cuisines develop salt practices based on availability and tradition. Soy sauce, which relies heavily on salt, is a primary seasoning in China and Japan. Middle Eastern dishes often call for generous amounts of salt.
In traditional Korean cuisine, bamboo salt is made by roasting salt in a bamboo holder clogged on both ends with mud. Salt absorbs minerals from the bamboo and mud. It's used in doenjang, a fermented bean paste.
A Few Salt Variations
Sea Salt: Evaporated from seawater, sea salt retains trace minerals. Different regions yield different attributes based on the mineral content of the water.
Kosher Salt: Characterized by large, coarse grains, kosher salt is often used for drawing moisture out from meat.
Himalayan Pink Salt: Mined from salt deposits in the Himalayan mountains, this salt owes its pink hue to trace minerals like iron.
Fleur de Sel: Known as "flower of salt," this sea salt is skimmed from the surface of salt ponds and has a subtle briny flavor.
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