What is the Best Salt for Cooking?

By far the most important ingredient in cooking is salt. If your food is well seasoned, it shouldn’t need any more salt once it is plated. So, do you reach for regular table salt, or do you act more “chefy” and get a box of Kosher salt. Or, do you fork over a few more dollars and get the trendy pink Himalayan Sea Salt? Isn’t salt, well, just salt? 

First, a little salt primer. Salt has been around pretty much since the beginning of time, and it is essential for life for humans and animals. Always an important part of civilization, in the ancient Roman times, salt was used as currency to pay the Roman soldiers—and we can all imagine how important they were to society. 

Salt is a crystalline mineral made of two elements, Sodium (Na) and Chlorine (Cl). Don’t get anxiety like you had in high school chemistry class, I just wanted you to know what salt is and why it’s so critical for our well being—after all, for so many years all you ever hear out there is how bad salt is for you and how it causes high blood pressure and all sorts of other ailments. 

Guess where the main source of salt comes from in the Western diet and why most people are getting too much of it? Can you say processed food? Yep—those frozen dinners, canned soups, and anything in a box, is loaded with sodium. Even things labeled “low sodium” still pack a ton of sodium—and for the most part, they have no flavor so you want to add—wait for it, SALT. 

So let’s get to it. What are the main salts out there and what is the difference.

Regular Table Salt

Not surprisingly, table salt is heavily refined. Because of that, anti-caking agents are often added, as is Iodine. I am against additives that are unnecessary, and prefer to get my intake of iodine from real food—dairy, fish, eggs and seaweed are all good choices. All in all, I am not a fan of regular table salt. 

Sea Salt

Sea salt is made by evaporating sea water. As you can imagine, the origin of the sea water is of paramount importance. Were the waters clean or polluted? Most of the time, it’s hard to tell from the labels what sea is the sea of origin, unless you choose a gourmet or high-end sea salt. 

Kosher Salt

Why is it called Kosher? Jewish law requires the blood to be removed from animals before they are consumed—the Kosher butchers found Kosher salt works best for the job. Chefs and home cooks like Kosher salt because it is easy to grab with your fingers to add to food while you are cooking. It usually doesn’t have any anti-caking agents or Iodine added to it. 

Himalayan Sea Salt

By far my salt of preference, Himalayan sea salt is harvested and hand mined in Pakistan. Rich in Iodine and beneficial minerals, this beautiful pink salt helps create an electrolyte balance, helps strengthen bones improves circulation and may even help lower blood pressure. I love the clean flavor of the pink salt and that it dissolves quicker than Kosher salt. 

The bottom line is salt is critical for your health and in making your food taste delicious. I have two bamboo salt pigs on my counter. One holds Kosher salt and the other has a place for two things—one half holds Himalayan Sea Salt and the other coarsely ground black pepper. I got the salt pigs at Bed, Bath and Beyond and I love them. Happy salting! 

Hot Tip: In specialty shops and some grocery stores, Himalayan sea salt is often way overpriced. Your best bet is to seek out an Indian grocery store or market—you can get a big bag of it for just a few dollars. I also often find great deals at TJ Maxx Homegoods. Of course, you can also find it online.