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While it goes by many names, its taste remains the same—salty. As a natural mineral, salt primarily serves as a seasoning, adding saltiness to our dishes. Its history, which some suggest is older than human history itself, demonstrates its numerous other applications and its value as a precious and significant resource. It’s hard to believe that this readily available white powder was once used as a form of currency, a wage for work, a healing agent, and even referred to as white gold.
Sodium chloride, known to us as table salt, is a white, crystalline solid. Chemically, it’s the sodium salt of hydrochloric acid with the formula NaCl, highly soluble in water. In nature, it is found in large quantities in seawater (the ocean contains about 35 grams of salt per liter, which corresponds to 3.5% salinity) and in the lithosphere. Salt is produced in salt mines and through the evaporation of seawater or mineral-rich spring water. It was discovered quite accidentally when attempts were made to preserve food. This discovery is attributed to the Romans, who used it to extend the freshness of meat, fish, vegetables, and cheese. In ancient times, soldiers were paid in salt. Hence, from the Latin word salarium (sal means salt), the English word for salary was derived. In the Middle Ages, regions with salt deposits were among the richest in the world, earning salt the title of “white gold.” There was a time in Poland when its value was so high that courts imposed fines measured in salt. This is likely where the saying “you’ll pay dearly for it” comes from. Today, salt reigns not only in the kitchen but also in many industrial sectors, including the production of cosmetic products.
In cosmetics, sodium chloride is a multifunctional ingredient. An important function is its thickening action—it regulates viscosity, giving products the desired consistency. Additionally, salt can support the action of other thickeners. In emulsions, it acts as a stabilizer. The fine crystal structure is used in products like body scrubs, which help exfoliate the upper layers of the skin, removing excess sebum, impurities, and providing a detoxifying effect. Furthermore, salt is an effective preservative, which is primarily utilized in the food industry. This is due to its ability to reduce water activity, which in food means the amount of unbound water available for bacterial growth. Various types of salt are used in baths, which, besides their main relaxing effect, care for and smooth the skin, support therapeutic actions in various ailments, and provide a kind of inhalation that positively affects the respiratory system. Salt also finds applications in oral hygiene products. It temporarily raises the pH in the mouth, creating an alkaline environment where bacteria struggle to survive, thus reducing their numbers.
Salt is an important food ingredient and the main source of sodium for the body, essential for the proper functioning of nerves and muscles and the regulation of the body’s water-electrolyte balance. On the other hand, it also significantly influences the development of disorders such as hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. The FDA has placed sodium chloride on its list of substances generally recognized as safe. It has also approved its use as an active ingredient in over-the-counter eye products at concentrations of 2-5%. To prevent iodine deficiency in diets, mandatory iodine prophylaxis, which involves iodizing salt intended for consumption (excluding food processing), has been in place in Poland since 1997. This process involves adding potassium iodide or potassium iodate to salt. Iodine is an essential element for human development and function, responsible for thyroid hormone production. Switzerland was the first country to adopt this practice. Generally, the consumption of iodized salt is recommended. However, it should not be the only source of iodine in the diet, especially since salt intake should not exceed 5 grams per day, and according to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), about 75% of the salt we consume is hidden in the food products we buy. Uniodized salt, which has not undergone iodization, also offers many benefits. It typically has better quality than table salt, as it has not been subjected to purification processes and is rich in valuable minerals naturally contained within it.
One of the most popular salts, especially for culinary use, is Himalayan salt. Its distinctive, delicate pink color is due to the presence of iron and other trace elements such as calcium, magnesium, copper, and potassium. It is mined in the Punjab region of Pakistan and has the highest concentration of minerals of all types of salt. In Southeast Asian cultures, traditional salt is bamboo salt. This is sea salt roasted in bamboo, characterized by an extremely intense salty taste due to the presence of many alkaline minerals. It is also considered the most expensive in the world, owing to the labor-intensive production process that involves roasting up to nine times at high temperatures. This process is conducted to saturate the salt with minerals from the bamboo and remove all impurities, taking between 30 to 50 days. The uniqueness of Kala Namak salt lies mainly in its original taste, reminiscent of egg to some and earth to others, due to its sulfur compounds. It has been produced on the Hawaiian island of Molokai since ancient times. Its color is also distinctive: black or gray-pink, due to iron sulfide. It has gained particular popularity as an addition to vegan dishes. Epsom salt, also known as bitter salt or English salt, contains numerous properties. Chemically, it is magnesium sulfate, combining two essential elements for the body: magnesium and sulfur. It has remarkable properties and health benefits, including improving skin condition, acting regeneratively, and anti-inflammatory.
History shows that salt has been used since ancient times, gradually assuming an important role not only in cuisine but also in economy. For many cultures, it symbolized resilience, indestructibility, and wealth. It can captivate not only with its color palette but also with its properties. Symbolically scattered, it foretells a quarrel; thrown over the shoulder, it prevents misfortune. As one aphorist wrote: “Salt and emotions protect us from corruption, just remember not to oversalt them.”