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What type of salt should you cook with?

There are various types of salt available, such as table salt, pink salt, kosher salt, sea salt... and this can confuse many people, not knowing which type is best for cooking.

Administrator

9 January, 2024

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Salt has many uses: as a cooking spice, for preserving food, disinfecting food during pre-processing, cleaning and disinfecting utensils, personal hygiene…

Because there are many types of salt on the market, including some that are quite expensive and are advertised with great effects, the question of “which type of salt should be used for cooking” is raised by many people.

Which type of salt should be used for cooking?

Dr. Vu Thi Tan (Hanoi University of Science and Technology) stated in an article published on Vnexpress that both sea salt and rock salt (unrefined salt) contain beneficial minerals for health, which naturally enhance the taste and are a healthy choice for seasoning dishes.

The market is filled with many types of salt, leaving consumers unsure of which type is the best for cooking. (Photo: The Spruce Eats)

Sea salt (whole salt) contains over 80% sodium chloride, as well as other trace elements such as sulfate, carbonate, calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, and zinc.

Rock salt (sea salt and rock salt) has a slightly sweet taste similar to the taste of fish sauce. People who don’t use MSG regularly should choose this type of salt for cooking, but they should choose a clean type of salt.

According to Dr. Tan, Maldon salt (flake sea salt) is very suitable as a dressing for salads, as a seasoning for meat (added directly to the cooked product), or for making cocktails.

Differentiating common types of salt

Although they differ in structure, size, color, and flavor, in cooking, the main function of salt is to enhance the savory taste of the food, not to provide nutrition. What matters is that you control the quality of the salt, ensuring that you use a clean type of salt that is free from harmful substances.

The commonly used types of salt include:

Refined table salt

Refined salt is ground very finely and undergoes many processes to remove impurities and trace minerals. (Photo: Allrecipes)

This type of salt is ground very finely and goes through many processes to remove impurities and trace minerals. Salt refined at a high level is susceptible to caking, so manufacturers often add anti-caking agents to limit this phenomenon.

Regular table salt has a high percentage of pure sodium chloride, accounting for 97% or more. In many countries around the world, table salt is supplemented with iodine to prevent iodine deficiency disorders, memory loss, and other diseases.

If the table salt you use does not contain iodine, you should supplement this nutrient by consuming other iodine-rich foods such as sea fish, milk and dairy products, eggs, and seaweed.

Sea salt

Nowadays, families often use sea salt for soaking and washing food, but rarely use it for cooking. However, experts affirm that it is a healthy type of salt. (Photo: Bulk Epsom Salts)

Sea salt is harvested by evaporating seawater. In addition to the main component, sodium chloride, depending on the region and processing method, this type of salt also contains trace minerals such as zinc, iron, and potassium.

The darker the color of sea salt, the higher the concentration of impurities and nutrients. Currently, the pollution of seawater is at an alarming level, so sea salt may contain heavy metals, especially lead.

In addition, sea salt may also contain microplastics from various types of plastic waste.

Kosher salt

Kosher salt has a different structure and flavor, but when used for cooking, it is no different from regular refined salt. (Photo: Cocavo)

The Jewish people used to use a special type of salt to soak meat and fish with the purpose of completely removing blood clots, which is kosher salt. Later on, kosher salt became more popular in other countries and was used in cooking as well.

Kosher salt grains have a rough texture, many edges, and are usually not supplemented with iodine. The large size of kosher salt grains makes it easy for chefs to pick them up with their fingers and sprinkle them on food.

Although kosher salt has a different structure and flavor, when used for cooking, it is no different from regular refined salt.

Himalayan pink salt

Himalayan pink salt contains a very small amount of iron oxides, giving them various shades from red and pink to white or transparent. (Photo: Thanjai Natural)

This type of salt is mined from the Himalayan mountain range, mainly from the Khewra salt mine (Pakistan) – the second largest salt mine in the world.

The crystals of Himalayan salt contain a very small amount of iron oxide, giving them a unique color range, from red and pink to different shades of light and dark.

This salt also contains small amounts of other minerals such as calcium, iron, potassium, and magnesium, so its pure sodium content is slightly lower than that of regular table salt.

Celtic salt