Salt, History & Uses : What is salt?

Salt is a chemical, which is the name for sodium chloride. Sodium chloride is a naturally occurring chemical compound found throughout the world and throughout history. Salt is found in the sea, in rocks, and even in your own bodies’ chemistry!

Salt is sold in various sizes dependant on what you are intending to use the salt for. The finest of the salt granules is used on popcorn, with a larger fine salt used as table salt. Bigger grains of salt are used for pickling, as a kosher, and in ice cream. Even large pieces of salt are called salt pellets, which are used for water softeners in homes and in businesses around the world. Even larger pieces of salt are used as salt licks for animals – horses, cows, and deer for their nutrient and satisfaction. When a large salt cube is mined it appears transparent and clear, which is very different from what you see in the saltshaker on your dining room table.

Salt is used in our daily activities in trade, politics, and is found in historic culture, as well as in modern day developments involving the creation of new materials. Salt is an important material that is used in the manufacturing industry of plastics, aluminium, and paper products, soaps and even in the production of glass! Whether salt is used directly as a material in a product or as an indirect measure of making a material, there are over 13,500 ways to use salt in manufacturing! Salt is also used in various forms as religious symbols. Some of these religious symbols represent such as purity, the divine being, and in welcoming a spirit.  

Without a doubt, the most well known use of salt is with food. Salt enhances the flavor of meat, vegetables, and it enhances the taste of pasta. No other seasoning has yet to be found that can satisfactorily take the place of salt in our everyday food use. But there are also other uses for salt around the home which we are going to discuss.

A pinch of salt
Have you ever heard the expression of ‘use just a pinch of salt’? No doubt that most of us have heard this expression used in cooking and in baking in our lives. But what else can we use this valuable resource for in our everyday lives? There are many uses for salt which we can’t ignore any longer so, let’s get started!