Salt

Salt is rock and it rocks!!

It is a crystalline solid, white, pale pink or light grey in colour, obtained from sea water or from rock deposits. Salt is necessary for the survival of all living creatures, including humans. Salt is involved in regulating the water content (fluid balance) of the body. Salt flavour is one of the basic tastes. Salt cravings may be caused by trace mineral deficiencies as well as by a deficiency of sodium chloride itself.

The salt we use for cooking is table salt. It is refined salt. It usually contains substances that make it free flowing (anticaking agents) such as sodium silicoaluminate (common name is Tixolex). It is common practice to put a few grains of uncooked rice in salt shakers to absorb extra moisture when anticaking agents are not enough.

Table salt is also often iodised—a small amount of potassium iodide is added as an important dietary supplement. Table salt is mainly employed in cooking and as a table condiment. Iodine is important to prevent the insufficient production of thyroid hormones (hypothyroidism), which can cause goitre, cretinism in children, and myxedema in adults.

[Extracted from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edible_salt]