I have missed something important in my previous Salt blogs that I forgot to clarify. I stated in Salt (I) that “Table salt is the only rock directly consumed by man.”
And that is absolutely true. However, I just simply stated that fact. There was no definition or explanation, just a stated fact. I was shocked, haha. The absence of an explanation or definition took me by surprise, because my writing style almost revolves around defining and explaining complex ideas (which is why Semester 01 blog posts were about classifying and defining different sciences). Now would adding that information to that blog make the statement less powerful? Maybe.
But how is table salt the only rock directly consumed by man? Haven’t you heard of rock sugar or rock candy? So what’s the deal with that…?
In some cases, names of foods are given because they resemble other foods fairly close to each other, because humans just love classifying things. Rock sugar (or rock candy when you add colors) is not technically a rock. Just like pink pepper corns aren’t technically berries from the true pepper tree (Piper nigrum). However they look, taste, and smell like a pepper berry from P. nigrum that the chefs classify them as pepper.
rock (n): [Middle English rokke, from Old French “dial.” (Norman & Picard) roke, from Vulgar Latin *rocca] consolidated or unconsolidated solid mineral matter
The key to why salt (and not sugar) can be classified as rocks is with the precise definition of mineral.
mineral (n): [Middle English, from Medieval Latin minerale, from neuter of mineralis] a solid homogenous crystalline chemical element or compound that results from the inorganic processes of nature
Understand that both salt and sugar are solids at standard room temperature (25℃ and 1 atmosphere), homogenous (of uniform structure or composition throughout), and crystalline compounds. However, sugar does not result from an inorganic process. In its most basic from, glucose sugar is produced one of the most common organic processes – photosynthesis.
Therefore, sugar is not a mineral which means it is also not a rock…and salt is still a rock (yay for eating rocks?)
Another definition of mineral could have bypassed the “inorganic processes” with an inorganic substance. However this requires me to explain that an organic substance contains carbon atoms. By this point, one would need some background in beginning chemistry.
In any case, I still enjoy the white rocks we sprinkle on food.
-As always: Just because you are reading cool articles about salt doesn’t mean you should use MORE of it! Please, be safe and healthy. Consult a (certified) doctor if you experience any unusual symptoms. Please enjoy responsibly.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Friday, December 11, 2009
Salt (III) Iodization
In the early twentieth century, the Morton Salt Company introduced iodine to their line of standard table salt. It was then when iodized salts began to become available in stores. But why add iodine to salt?
Iodine is needed to produce several hormones in the body that are synthesized by the thyroid gland (such as thyroxine and triiodotyronine). These thyroid hormones affect almost all cells within the body. The hormones control or affect metabolic rates, protein synthesis, growth hormones, and adrenaline response.
People of remote inland areas are more likely to suffer from iodine deficiency, the intake of little or no iodine in ones diet. Some of the most abundant sources of iodine can be found in the ocean. Because of this, food or food sources of the ocean are iodine-rich, and inland people who have limited access to marine products are more likely to develop iodine deficiency related problems.
Foods rich in iodine include, but not limited to: cheddar cheese, cod, eggs, fish oil, fresh fish, haddock, kelp, nori, sea food (clams, mussels, oysters, scallop, crab, lobster), sea kelp, seaweed, and sea salt
Those with low iodine intake are likely to encounter thyroid complications (such as hyperthyroidism – an excessive overgrowth of tissue around the thyroid). Also, studies have shown the best insurance on preventing mental retardation is to have a balanced iodine intake.
Some people argue that iodized salts are unhealthy or impure because of the added iodine content. To solve this, some resort to sea salts for its “purity” and “straight from the ocean” quality. The irony is that because of the nature of the sea’s high iodine percentage, there is (usually) more iodine per unit than fortified iodized table salts. The only difference between sea salts and fortified table salts is that sea salt is directly evaporated from the oceans, while table salt is first purified and ‘cleaned’ of trace minerals (whether the salt is from the ocean or salt mines) and then after refinement, the new squeaky clean salt is sprayed with a solution of potassium iodide.
From the medical standpoint, if the excess iodine were an issue (which it is not*), than the fortified salt would technically be “healthier” for you.
On the contrary, some dislike the flavor of fortified salt, and thus implement the use of kosher or sea salts. This is strictly based on a personal culinary viewpoint (or taste-point, so-to-speak) and beyond the guides of the aforementioned argument.
Why add iodine to salt to prevent the reduced iodine intake? Why not add iodine to other food products, such as sugar or other spices?
Salt is a perfect vehicle for iodine as it is used by almost all cooks to season food, it never expires (it is a rock, there are no organic compounds to break down, and if it were a preservative, why would it expire?), and the amount of salt intake per person can be estimated at a predictable rate.
*with the exception of medical predispositions the small percentage of iodine between fortified salts and sea salt is not enough to accentuate any medical condition or episode. Talk to you physician for any information about a medical disposition or risks for high blood pressure
-Just because you are reading cool articles about salt doesn’t mean you should use MORE of it! Please, be safe and healthy. Consult a (certified) doctor if you experience any unusual symptoms of a disease.
Iodine is needed to produce several hormones in the body that are synthesized by the thyroid gland (such as thyroxine and triiodotyronine). These thyroid hormones affect almost all cells within the body. The hormones control or affect metabolic rates, protein synthesis, growth hormones, and adrenaline response.
People of remote inland areas are more likely to suffer from iodine deficiency, the intake of little or no iodine in ones diet. Some of the most abundant sources of iodine can be found in the ocean. Because of this, food or food sources of the ocean are iodine-rich, and inland people who have limited access to marine products are more likely to develop iodine deficiency related problems.
Foods rich in iodine include, but not limited to: cheddar cheese, cod, eggs, fish oil, fresh fish, haddock, kelp, nori, sea food (clams, mussels, oysters, scallop, crab, lobster), sea kelp, seaweed, and sea salt
Those with low iodine intake are likely to encounter thyroid complications (such as hyperthyroidism – an excessive overgrowth of tissue around the thyroid). Also, studies have shown the best insurance on preventing mental retardation is to have a balanced iodine intake.
Some people argue that iodized salts are unhealthy or impure because of the added iodine content. To solve this, some resort to sea salts for its “purity” and “straight from the ocean” quality. The irony is that because of the nature of the sea’s high iodine percentage, there is (usually) more iodine per unit than fortified iodized table salts. The only difference between sea salts and fortified table salts is that sea salt is directly evaporated from the oceans, while table salt is first purified and ‘cleaned’ of trace minerals (whether the salt is from the ocean or salt mines) and then after refinement, the new squeaky clean salt is sprayed with a solution of potassium iodide.
From the medical standpoint, if the excess iodine were an issue (which it is not*), than the fortified salt would technically be “healthier” for you.
On the contrary, some dislike the flavor of fortified salt, and thus implement the use of kosher or sea salts. This is strictly based on a personal culinary viewpoint (or taste-point, so-to-speak) and beyond the guides of the aforementioned argument.
Why add iodine to salt to prevent the reduced iodine intake? Why not add iodine to other food products, such as sugar or other spices?
Salt is a perfect vehicle for iodine as it is used by almost all cooks to season food, it never expires (it is a rock, there are no organic compounds to break down, and if it were a preservative, why would it expire?), and the amount of salt intake per person can be estimated at a predictable rate.
*with the exception of medical predispositions the small percentage of iodine between fortified salts and sea salt is not enough to accentuate any medical condition or episode. Talk to you physician for any information about a medical disposition or risks for high blood pressure
-Just because you are reading cool articles about salt doesn’t mean you should use MORE of it! Please, be safe and healthy. Consult a (certified) doctor if you experience any unusual symptoms of a disease.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Salt (II.1)
There is something about the little grains of shiny white that we call salt which transforms any food to somehow enhance its flavors. Many are familiar with standard issue plain table salt – which one may find at a restaurant. However, many other “types” of salt are available, and some may be sitting on the shelf of a local store. For the ease of readability, the different types of salt may be referred to as a “species.”
Kosher salt (or more accurately koshering salt) is another common salt with which people cook. It is popular for its coarse flaky structure. The coarse texture gives this particular salt a unique ability to adhere to moist surfaces (like meat) and not dissolve. Despite the name, most salts are kosher certified. So cooking with it doesn’t necessarily make one’s food that much more kosher. But cooking with kosher salts can cause a slight problem.
Actually this scenario can be true with any salt which is not the species mentioned in a recipe. Consider the following:
Two jars of equal volume are filled with marbles of similar density (mass per unit volume). The first jar is filled to the rim with small marbles, the latter with large marbles. Although they are both filled to the top, would you expect them to be equal in weight? No. Because the second jar is filled with larger marbles there is more room (of air) between the marbles, and therefore less weight compared to the more compact smaller marbles.
The same principle can be applied to kosher salt and plain table salt. Because there is more room between the grains of kosher compared to grains of plain table salt in 1 unit, there is technically less salt mass in 1 cup of kosher. In smaller quantities, this is a miniscule difference. However, beyond 1 teaspoon, depending on the recipe (and the purpose of the salt) this minutia can interfere with the taste, texture, and even presentation of food.
Kosher salt (or more accurately koshering salt) is another common salt with which people cook. It is popular for its coarse flaky structure. The coarse texture gives this particular salt a unique ability to adhere to moist surfaces (like meat) and not dissolve. Despite the name, most salts are kosher certified. So cooking with it doesn’t necessarily make one’s food that much more kosher. But cooking with kosher salts can cause a slight problem.
Actually this scenario can be true with any salt which is not the species mentioned in a recipe. Consider the following:
Two jars of equal volume are filled with marbles of similar density (mass per unit volume). The first jar is filled to the rim with small marbles, the latter with large marbles. Although they are both filled to the top, would you expect them to be equal in weight? No. Because the second jar is filled with larger marbles there is more room (of air) between the marbles, and therefore less weight compared to the more compact smaller marbles.
The same principle can be applied to kosher salt and plain table salt. Because there is more room between the grains of kosher compared to grains of plain table salt in 1 unit, there is technically less salt mass in 1 cup of kosher. In smaller quantities, this is a miniscule difference. However, beyond 1 teaspoon, depending on the recipe (and the purpose of the salt) this minutia can interfere with the taste, texture, and even presentation of food.
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