Comments on: Salt is Salt – The Rest is Hype http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/blog/ingredients/salt-is-salt-%e2%80%93-the-rest-is-hype/ You Have To Eat, So Learn To Cook & Eat Well Fri, 19 Mar 2010 14:42:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: RG http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/blog/ingredients/salt-is-salt-%e2%80%93-the-rest-is-hype/comment-page-1/#comment-80798 RG Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:11:38 +0000 http://reluctantgourmet.com/blog/?p=18#comment-80798 Hi Travis, Thank you for the additional information about salt. You must be a big fan of one of my favorite authors, Harold McGee. I appreciate your taking the time to explain the science behind salt to me and my readers. Hi Travis,
Thank you for the additional information about salt. You must be a big fan of one of my favorite authors, Harold McGee. I appreciate your taking the time to explain the science behind salt to me and my readers.

]]> By: Travis http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/blog/ingredients/salt-is-salt-%e2%80%93-the-rest-is-hype/comment-page-1/#comment-80200 Travis Tue, 16 Jun 2009 04:38:30 +0000 http://reluctantgourmet.com/blog/?p=18#comment-80200 I just happened by this article in looking for unrefined salts. While I obviously protest to the professor's claim that salt is salt, I will bet that he is referring to processed salts. Salts are refined in order cater to the industries that need it to be. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 7% of processed salt goes to the grocery store. More commonly it goes to make bleaches, acids (Hydrochloric and Muratic (meaning brine)), and explosives. Essentially, this process strips salt of 82 of its 84 natural ingredients leaving only sodium and chloride. At this point iodide is added (which is in such a small amount that it does not meet the daily required intake). The myth here is that processed salt is alright for human consumption. Unprocessed salt naturally balances the ph levels in the body. Processed salt is acidic and therefore increases the acidity in the body. Cancer thrives in acidic environments. Is it no wonder that cancer cases are so common these days? After knowing these facts taste is almost an after thought......LOL! I just happened by this article in looking for unrefined salts. While I obviously protest to the professor’s claim that salt is salt, I will bet that he is referring to processed salts. Salts are refined in order cater to the industries that need it to be. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 7% of processed salt goes to the grocery store. More commonly it goes to make bleaches, acids (Hydrochloric and Muratic (meaning brine)), and explosives. Essentially, this process strips salt of 82 of its 84 natural ingredients leaving only sodium and chloride. At this point iodide is added (which is in such a small amount that it does not meet the daily required intake). The myth here is that processed salt is alright for human consumption. Unprocessed salt naturally balances the ph levels in the body. Processed salt is acidic and therefore increases the acidity in the body. Cancer thrives in acidic environments. Is it no wonder that cancer cases are so common these days? After knowing these facts taste is almost an after thought……LOL!

]]> By: Crazy Uncle Mark http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/blog/ingredients/salt-is-salt-%e2%80%93-the-rest-is-hype/comment-page-1/#comment-48225 Crazy Uncle Mark Thu, 29 May 2008 23:59:29 +0000 http://reluctantgourmet.com/blog/?p=18#comment-48225 Actually Mike is correct in that for sea salts the mineral content change the taste dramatically, as well as smoked salt. More importantly even though the professor is technically correct that NaCl is NaCl, the shape of the crystals, surface area, have a HUGE effect on rate of solubility and chemical reaction with the food - hence why kosher salt is used for rubs and other things - the surface area of the crystals behave differently when marinating, curing, smoking or cooking, so I think the professor was oversimplifying things a good deal, perhaps he did not do enough "lab" work on this one. Alton Brown did an entire episode on "Good Eats" called "eat this rock" which on Foodnetwork was Episode EASP03 , transcript available here: ((http://www.goodeatsfanpage.com/GEFP/index.htm)) Amazon will ship diamond crystal kosher salt. Good luck and happy cooking! Actually Mike is correct in that for sea salts the mineral content change the taste dramatically, as well as smoked salt.

More importantly even though the professor is technically correct that NaCl is NaCl, the shape of the crystals, surface area, have a HUGE effect on rate of solubility and chemical reaction with the food - hence why kosher salt is used for rubs and other things - the surface area of the crystals behave differently when marinating, curing, smoking or cooking, so I think the professor was oversimplifying things a good deal, perhaps he did not do enough “lab” work on this one.

Alton Brown did an entire episode on “Good Eats” called “eat this rock” which on Foodnetwork was Episode EASP03 , transcript available here:
((http://www.goodeatsfanpage.com/GEFP/index.htm))
Amazon will ship diamond crystal kosher salt.
Good luck and happy cooking!

]]> By: Elisa http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/blog/ingredients/salt-is-salt-%e2%80%93-the-rest-is-hype/comment-page-1/#comment-2646 Elisa Sat, 10 Feb 2007 01:56:13 +0000 http://reluctantgourmet.com/blog/?p=18#comment-2646 I would like to know where I can buy Kosher Diamond sea salt. Please help thank you I would like to know where I can buy Kosher Diamond sea salt. Please help thank you

]]> By: Diane http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/blog/ingredients/salt-is-salt-%e2%80%93-the-rest-is-hype/comment-page-1/#comment-2185 Diane Sat, 20 Jan 2007 16:05:11 +0000 http://reluctantgourmet.com/blog/?p=18#comment-2185 I am commenting from a health stand point. I was told not to use salt because I was retaining an excess of water which caused my blood pressure to shoot up. My ankles looked like tennis balls! I stopped using table salt in cooking, on top of foods and little to no eating out. I was told by another Dr. I wasn't getting enough salt and to buy sea salt. I use tons more (sea) salt than before and dropped 10 lbs and no more swelling. My blood pressure is great! I wonder what is in table salt that isn't on the lable? or Why does sea salt work different in the body? Any answers? Thanks! I am commenting from a health stand point. I was told not to use salt because I was retaining an excess of water which caused my blood pressure to shoot up. My ankles looked like tennis balls! I stopped using table salt in cooking, on top of foods and little to no eating out. I was told by another Dr. I wasn’t getting enough salt and to buy sea salt. I use tons more (sea) salt than before and dropped 10 lbs and no more swelling. My blood pressure is great! I wonder what is in table salt that isn’t on the lable? or Why does sea salt work different in the body?
Any answers?

Thanks!

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