Salt has always gotten a bad rap, only because we use way too much on everything! “Table” salt really has no nutritional value and we load up on enough sodium throughout the day in all the junk we eat, there’s no reason to salt your food anyway. But gourmet salts may be the way to go instead. Even though they are still high in sodium, using a little to cook with and then a pinch to flavor the meal may be beneficial to your health. Some beg to differ, but I can guarantee that they will flavor your foods, add minerals to your diet that you may otherwise not be getting, and gourmet salts are a great way to season all your favorite dishes.
There are over 100’s of different kinds ranging in different textures and tastes. Salt is naturally formed in the earth and range in colors from pink, red, white, even black. They are high in mineral and iron content. Normal table salt usually has the iodine removed which we need for T3 and T4, which are your thyroid hormones. In turn your thyroid hormones effect every cell in your body! This includes giving your energy, stabilizing your body temperature, helps maintain a healthy body weight, brain development and function, emotional health, and keeps your hair, nail, and skin healthy! And because I am a foodie, you’ll never meet a chef that won’t praise a gourmet salt and how well they enhance their dishes or how much they truly love to cook with different kinds.
Here are some of my favorites along with some of the benefits of including gourmet salts into your cooking as well as your diets. Himalayan pink salts are the purest salt on earth. It is known to lower your blood pressure, (as long as you’re not eating it by the handful) improves circulation, and detoxes the body from heavy metals.
Hawaiian Algae Sea Salt- This salt is baked in Hawaiian clay and is red in color. The clay enriches the salt with iron oxide and is used the most in traditional Hawaiian dishes. My brother-in-law is the General Manager of Merriman’s in Waimea, on the big island and conveniently sent me pictures of all his tables stocked with Hawaiian sea salt to prove they use it as regular table salt or just to rub it in a little more that he lives in paradise. 🙂
Flake Sea Salt- This salt is evaporated sea water. Using sun and wind, it produces a brine, it’s then fed into an evaporating pan, when heated up, crystals of salt appear. This salt is great for fish and vegetable dishes!
Cyprus Black Lava Salt- From the island of Cyprus. A Mediterranean salt, mixed with activated charcoal gives its dark color. A natural detoxifier, the charcoal absorbs toxins in the body.
Smoked Sea Salt- This salt is smoked over wood fires and is great for roasts and grilling out. Giving your foods the great smokey flavoring. Perfect for summer!
The list is endless when it comes to the different tastes, colors, textures, and enhancements salt can bring to your cooking and dishes. I’ve had salts infused with black truffles from Italy and sea salts from the French coasts. I love them all and add them to my dishes daily. Just remember they are still high in sodium, so consuming large amounts of sodium can be detrimental to your health so choose some of your favorites and just add a pinch here and there. Enjoy and happy cooking and tasting! 😉