It's been valued as currency and decried as a health hazard, but there's so much more to salt than meets the eye
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It used to be used as money
Salt was so valuable in ancient Rome that soldiers were sometimes paid with it. In fact, the word salary comes from the Latin word sal, which means salt. When a soldier was doing a lousy job, his paycheck might be cut, which is how we got the commonly used idiom “not worth his salt.”
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It can still be valuable today
Korean bamboo salt has long been used in traditional medicine and cooking. But at around 10 times the value of regular sea salt, it’s pricey! That’s because this delicacy takes time to produce: Sea salt is hand-packed into 3-year-old bamboo, then roasted in a kiln at more than 1,400 degrees—a process that takes 12 to 14 hours.
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It was a big import
Historically, salt’s value came from its ability to preserve food. Salt doesn’t expire, and when it’s added to food it draws out the water—which prevents spoilage bacteria from growing. One city that prospered from the salt trade is Venice, Italy, which became an influential trade power by the end of the 13th century.
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Salt also took on a great deal of symbolic value
If you’ve ever used the phrase “take it with a grain of salt,” you know salt has value beyond seasoning and (literal) preservation. Salt shows up throughout literature and history, including the Bible (“salt of the earth,” “a pillar of salt,” “a covenant of salt”) because its preservative properties make it an apt metaphor for permanence and conviction.
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Cutting it out isn’t easy
Most people know about the health risks associated with sodium, but reducing your intake isn’t always easy. Here are some facts about salt to put things in perspective: The average American consumes 50% more sodium than recommended, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). And salt is added to almost everything we eat, from bread, cured meats and soups to canned veggies, pasta and even desserts.
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French fries aren’t the biggest culprit
Ready for more unexpected facts about salt? A 2024 study published in the Journal of Renal Nutrition examined sodium levels of a typical burger-and-fries meal from 14 major fast food chains and found that, on average, the burger contained about twice as much sodium as the french fries.
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Sea salt isn’t healthier
Sea salt may sound healthier than table salt, but most sea salts contain roughly the same proportion of sodium—about 40%—as table salt. If you are looking for sodium-free flavoring, try garlic, pepper, oregano, sage, rosemary and other spices or herbs that can curb your salt cravings.
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It’s best to reduce your intake
Excess sodium is associated with a rash of negative health outcomes, and most people get way too much of it. Even if you are in good health, it’s still a good idea to cut down on your salt intake to reduce your blood pressure and your risk of heart disease and stroke, according to the CDC.
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It can cause headaches
For older folks, a heavy hand with the salt shaker may also hurt your head. A study of 975 people ages 60 to 80 with hypertension found that reducing sodium in their diets was associated with a lower risk of headache.
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Still, we all need at least some salt
With all this talk of the negative effects of sodium, you might be surprised by these facts about salt: We need it, because salt facilitates the transport of nutrients and oxygen, allows nerves to transmit messages and helps our muscles work.
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Extra salt might be lurking in your meat
Fresh meat and poultry is naturally low in sodium, but many meat products, including chicken, pork and beef, are injected with or soaked in a salty brine solution. The words enhanced, marinated, basted or improved on the packaging can signal the presence of salt. To avoid it, check the label and choose options with lower or no salt additions.
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It treated goiter
In the 1920s, salt became a primary tool in the fight against goiter, a thyroid disorder caused by iodine deficiency. After iodized salt became common in American kitchens, cases of goiter nearly disappeared. Today, only about 53% of table salt sold through retail establishments is iodized.
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It’s used mostly on roads
After all those facts about salt in food, you might be surprised to know that the number one use of salt in the United States is road de-icing. In 2024, about 41% of salt went toward this purpose, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Only about 9% was used in food processing.
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Sources:
- Business Insider: “Why Korean purple bamboo salt is so expensive”
- CDC: “About Sodium and Health”
- Journal of Renal Nutrition: “Wisely Choosing a Fast-Food Burger Meal Results in Meaningful Reduction in Sodium: Implications for Kidney Stone Patients”
- USDA: “Water in Meat & Poultry”
- USGS: “Salt Statistics and Information”
- American Heart Association: “Sodium Sources: Where Does All That Sodium Come From?”
- National Academies Press: “Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium”
Originally Published in Reader's Digest
