Sea Salt vs regular salt

[Fishingnerd33]

I've read quite a bit on this area (great stuff guys) and have seen a lot of people saying sea salt instead of regular salt. I've never used it & am wondering why the other salt? Also wondering how the taste differs? Thanks!

[Mako]

Sea salt is just that. Salt taken from the sea. You evaporate the water and end up with the salt. The regular salt is NaCl (and iodine if you get iodized). Sea salt usually has other minerals mixed in. Therefore, sea salt has a different flavor to it. It also has a different texture. If you're going to put the salt in soup or something, use regular salt. If you're actually going to taste the salt and feel the texture, use sea salt.

[OldBaldGuy]

Originally Posted by Mako

Sea salt is just that. Salt taken from the sea. You evaporate the water and end up with the salt. The regular salt is NaCl (and iodine if you get iodized). Sea salt usually has other minerals mixed in. Therefore, sea salt has a different flavor to it. It also has a different texture. If you're going to put the salt in soup or something, use regular salt. If you're actually going to taste the salt and feel the texture, use sea salt.

I thought all salt deposits originated in the sea. Is there really a factory somewhere with freight cars unloading Na and Cl so they can be combined? Do you have pictures?

[obert]

It might be all in my head, but the motherinlaw brought see salt b/c it is "healthier" and I think it has 0 taste.

[Sam825]

Salt can be obtained as a form of rock salt (often found where there used to be ocean but land raised, and water evaporated, and salt remain), ocean (Since we have no seposit of rock salt in Japan, we used to evaporate water to crystallize salt). So, yes, both are originated from ocean. Taste difference comes from what is in a salt.

I talk sea salt as example. Salt is of course sodium chloride but depend on how you produce salt crystals from ocean, it will have difference in composition...ocean contain minerals (about 0.2%?) and the way you prepare alter the composition in your final product. In Japan, big manufacture makes table salt using ion exchange membrane and as a results, mineral content is very low and salt taste like...salt.
However, there are companies which makes table salt with ancient technology and those contain much more mineral and taste much milder.

As for usage, I strictly use sea salt for everything whether as you taste directly by putting on food or used while cooking. For those who have good refined taste, even trace amount used in food, regular salt ain't good enough. Again, sea salt tastes different. Sushi for example, if you use regular salt, it is not Sushi to me....have to be sea salt. (hope you know they use a bit of salt in Sushi, not just a vinegar...
Oh...yes...it is like a difference between synthetic vinegar vs. rice vinegar (real one...the one you see in HyVee is NOT)

If you taste both, you will find the difference. Sea salt has taste...regular salt don't (just salty).

Sam

By the way, not all sea salt taste the same....again, depend on how they crystallize. My friend dad actually own the company in Japan and give me a lecture some time ago.

[jimbosan]

I think sea salt tastes better, to me its not as sharp as regular salt I guess you could its not as salty.

[OldBaldGuy]

Originally Posted by jimbosan

I think sea salt tastes better, to me its not as sharp as regular salt I guess you could its not as salty.

I have a jar of horseradish in the refrigerator that you might like, Jimbo. It doesn't taste much like horseradish.

[jimbosan]

Originally Posted by OldBaldGuy

I have a jar of horseradish in the refrigerator that you might like, Jimbo. It doesn't taste much like horseradish.

OBG are you sure its not mayonaise?

[one more pass]

Does it raise your blood pressure?

[jimbosan]

Originally Posted by one more pass

Does it raise your blood pressure?

unfortunately yes!

[Aaron Lee]

Only 26% of people with normal blood pressure are affected by salt intake, and 58% with hypertension are affected by salt intake, so...not necessarily

[SKershaw]

Originally Posted by Aaron Lee

Only 26% of people with normal blood pressure are affected by salt intake, and 58% with hypertension are affected by salt intake, so...not necessarily

And most hypertension is idiopathic... no, that is not another word for fat!

[jimbosan]

Originally Posted by Aaron Lee

Only 26% of people with normal blood pressure are affected by salt intake, and 58% with hypertension are affected by salt intake, so...not necessarily

I would be willing to bet that if he asks his doctor he will tell him to stay away from salt ALL salt. Assuming he/she in fact has high BP.

[Love the Redheads]

For cooking I prefer Kosher salt. It has a nicer robust flavor.