{"id":2654,"date":"2019-01-21T04:41:31","date_gmt":"2019-01-21T04:41:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/?p=2654"},"modified":"2021-05-24T14:53:49","modified_gmt":"2021-05-24T14:53:49","slug":"14-reasons-to-start-using-kosher-salt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/14-reasons-to-start-using-kosher-salt\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Reasons to Start Using Kosher Salt"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Kosher salt can usually be found in the same supermarket aisle where you would find regular table salt, and although the two are usually stationed right next to one another on the shelf, the two aren\u2019t the same by any means.
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Traditional table salt is most often loaded with additives and preservatives that you wouldn\u2019t find in Kosher salt, and there are many studies out there that support the fact that Kosher salt is overall a healthier option \u2013 especially if you want to infuse your food with flavor without the risk of adding too much of it.
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Just one simple switch to Kosher salt can change your health for the better.
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If you\u2019ve been told to cut down on salt or watch your health, you should make the change to Kosher salt. Here are 8 of the most essential reasons why Kosher salt is better for your food and healthier for your body.
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1. It\u2019s healthier for your heart.<\/strong>
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Kosher salt<\/a> can be much healthier for your heart than traditional table salt. People who have been diagnosed with conditions such as cholesterol or high blood pressure are often told to cut down on their salt intake, and the best way to do this in practice is to switch to a healthier form of salt \u2013 one that contains less sodium, and one that adds just as much flavor to the food as you would expect from salt without the need to use a mountain of it in the dish.
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It\u2019s not always salt alone that\u2019s said to be bad for your heart; it can also be many of the additives (including iodine) that are added to traditional table salt. These are ingredients that you won\u2019t find in Kosher salt, making it the natural, better, healthier option for you, especially if you have been diagnosed with any of the above health conditions.
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2. It\u2019s a responsibly farmed.<\/strong>
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There are many forms of traditional salt <\/a>on the market that isn\u2019t responsibly farmed, and makes use of exceptionally cheap labor in third-world countries to produce, harvest, process and transport their products \u2013 although this isn\u2019t something you\u2019ll see stated on the label, it\u2019s the hard truth of the salt industry, where it\u2019s still treated as a commodity as valuable as gold in many parts of the world.
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Of course, any responsible salt consumer with a conscience would want to avoid funding irresponsible farming when they buy their salt \u2013 and many people just buy traditional salt because they don\u2019t know the truth about salt farming, and nobody ever tells them.
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If you want to ensure that you buy traditionally farmed salt every time, choose from the same farms or brands every time that you know have been farmed in the right ways, and to opt for the use of Kosher salt instead when and where you can.
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3. It adds more flavor-for-quantity to your food.<\/strong>
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Professional chefs, food bloggers and anyone who spends a lot of time in their kitchen will know that sometimes you have to use a little more of traditional salt to add flavor to your food \u2013 and this is where the potential danger of salt lies if you\u2019ve been told to watch your heart<\/a>, health or general salt intake. It\u2019s easy to add too much salt to your meal when you\u2019re using traditional salt: Part of this is because adding salt \u201cto taste\u201d with traditional salt can mean that you end up adding a practical mountain of it.
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Kosher salt adds far more flavor to food for the quantity used, and it\u2019s a healthier option for any chef who wants to reduce the salt content of the meal without having any effect on the end-taste.
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Kosher salt is known for larger grains, which also makes it easier to estimate how much you\u2019re using.
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4. It\u2019s the most natural form of salt.<\/strong>
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Many of the other traditional forms of salt that you\u2019ll find for sale on the market have been adapted, changed and altered with additives to the point where the end-product that you get is further from natural salt than most people would want, especially if they\u2019re watching their health and diet.
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Some of the ingredients that might be added to salt to process it include iodine <\/a>and other preservative substances, and if you\u2019re hoping for natural salt than you should stay pretty far away from the traditional forms of salt that\u2019s bound to include ingredients like these \u2013 and be processed far more than it should.
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If you want the most natural form of salt, you should opt for things like Himalayan rock salt, or Kosher salt that\u2019s guaranteed to come from a responsible source \u2013 and be as healthy as can be, without any of the additives that you would find in other salt brands.
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5. It goes much further than traditional salt.<\/strong>
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Kosher salt goes a lot further in dishes than traditional forms of salt, and this is something that even the average chef who has never spent a single minute in a professional kitchen will be able to tell you; if you want to add salt to water in preparation for making pasta<\/a>, more or less how much do you think you would add? Now, if you were to make a stew and added just a pinch of salt to it every once in awhile, what\u2019s the overall quantity of salt that you think you would have added to the meal by the time that it\u2019s done?
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When you\u2019re using traditional salt, you\u2019ll see the need to add far more salt than is necessary. The same isn\u2019t true for Kosher salt, and you will usually only need to make use of a dash or two rather than a few spoons if you wanted to achieve the same results.
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6. Kosher salt isn\u2019t overpowering.<\/strong>
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One of the main benefits of using Kosher salt above anything else is the fact that Kosher salt isn\u2019t overpowering, as many forms of traditional salt might be. If you were to accidentally add to much salt to a meal and we\u2019re talking about traditional salt, it\u2019s often true that the entire meal is close to ruin \u2013 and you can almost pack the entire meal away right then and there if you\u2019ve made this mistake.
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This isn\u2019t true if you\u2019re making use of Kosher salt, and it\u2019s not overpowering even when used right \u2013 and you should never have to worry about the fact that you could add too much salt to a dish, because using a little Kosher salt is known for going a very long way.
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If you stock up on Kosher salt and use it sparingly, then you don\u2019t have to cut salt out of your diet <\/a>completely \u2013 even when you have been told to decrease your salt intake.
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7. Kosher salt is one of the purest substances on earth.<\/strong>
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Kosher salt is one of the healthiest alternatives to table salt that you can include in your diet, and it also happens to be one of the purest possible substances on earth; just adding a little bit of Kosher salt to your diet instead of Kosher salt can already help your body to detox <\/a>\u2013 and \u00a0you will feel the difference to your health in just a few days of making the change.
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Being one of the purest substances that exists on earth, you can also use Kosher salt for much more than just cooking \u2013 and you can even use Kosher salt for your cleaning needs, or you can use it to make a proper saline solution that you know won\u2019t be harmful for your health when used to disinfect wounds.
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Salt isn\u2019t just for cooking alone \u2013 but if you\u2019re going to use salt for anything else, Kosher salt is always the best, healthiest and purest choice.
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8. It can even be used in sweeter dishes.<\/strong>
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Salt isn\u2019t just used to add flavor to traditionally salty dishes, although that\u2019s what the majority of the world happens to use it for. It can also be a great component to include in sweeter dishes, which is a secret that professional chefs (and people with clever family recipes) have known for years.
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Salt can help to bring out the flavor, and that\u2019s the main reason why people add salt to anything; if you add salt to a chocolate cake<\/a>, it really brings out the deep richness of the chocolate, and it was done just by adding a pinch of salt to the recipe. The same is true for coffee, and in many parts of the world, it has become traditional to drink a pinch of salt in a good cup of coffee instead of adding mountains of sugar.
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Sweeter dishes can almost always benefit from just that pinch of healthy, Kosher salt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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9. Easy to Handle
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\u201cKosher salt,\u201d is only a misnomer for salt used in the koshering process. The large grains make it efficient for drawing water and blood from meats. However, that\u2019s not what makes this salt a chef\u2019s favorite. The main reason why chefs prefer kosher salt is the ability to clasp it between the fingertips.
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The large grains bunch up easily, and if you take a pinch of kosher salt, it doesn\u2019t fall apart like regular table salt. If you\u2019ve ever attempted to pick up a pinch of table salt, you\u2019ll notice that its fine grains slip between your fingertips, making it a challenge to gauge your seasoning.
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The long grains of kosher salt gives the chef\u2019s better accuracy during seasoning vegetables<\/a>, meat, and fish. A lack of control is frustrating in the kitchen, and kosher salt provides every chef with one less element to worry about in the kitchen. Give yourself a professional edge in the kitchen and try out seasoning with kosher salt for yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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10. There are No Additives
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Many salt brands like to include other seasonings in their salts. Rock salt and Himalayan pink salt come in a variety of different blends to suit barbequing steak and chicken, grilling fish, or seasoning roasted vegetables. Unfortunately, if you check the nutritional label of these seasonings, you\u2019ll find that they are excessively high in sodium <\/a>content.
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These encumbered sodium products are terrible for your health and over-consumption of them in your diet can lead to elevated blood pressure and a condition known as \u201chypertension.\u201d Kosher salt contains no additional additives, preservatives, or flavorings \u2013 its pure salt and nothing else. In our experimentation, we noticed that meat seasoned with kosher salt had more flavor than those seasoned with rock salt or pink salt seasoning blend, but the choice is different for everyone.
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Sodium ferrocyanide and sodium silicoaluminate are anti-caking agents used by many salt brands to prevent the salt clumping up in the container, especially in humid environments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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11. Cure Meat
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Chef\u2019s and game hunters like to cure meats to develop different flavors and extend their shelf life. Cured and smoked meats rely on salt for the curing process. Salt draws moisture, and it works for fish as well. The long, large grains of kosher salt spread over a greater surface area and allow for rapid curing of fish, pork, beef, chicken, and lamb. Regular table salt can help you cure meat<\/a>, but sprinkling it with kosher salt will get the job done faster.
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If you\u2019re planning on doing a salt crust for your next roast, try using kosher salt. Kosher salt readily sticks together, and it\u2019s the best way to provide your roast or fish with a salt crust to cook the meal to perfection. Start by laying your roast or fish on a baking tray and heat the oven to 375F.
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Cover the meat or fish with a half-inch-thick layer of kosher salt and pack it together using your hands. Bake in the oven for the desired duration and then remove it from the oven. Crack open the salt crust and remove it from the meat or fish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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12. Prevent Fruits from Turning Brown
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Are you preparing a fruit salad<\/a> spread for later? The problem with fruit is that as soon as you expose its flesh to air, it begins to discolor. Fruit left out in the open for a few hours starts to turn brown, reducing its visual appeal. This discoloration means that there\u2019s a high chance no one will want to eat the fruit if it turns brown. In such a case, most hotels and restaurants waste the food and throw it out in the trash.
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The chances are that you\u2019ve already tried using lemon or vinegar to stop your fruit from turning brown. Top sous chefs rely on kosher salt for the same effect. Prepare a large mixing bowl with some ice water and boil a kettle. Add the boiling water to a pinch of kosher salt and let the hot water dissolve the grains.
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Add the saltwater to the ice bath and dip your fruit into the solution to help it keep its color for longer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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13. Cost
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Search online to compare the prices of table salt with kosher salt, and you\u2019ll notice that kosher salt costs about 20-percent more. However, this is salt we\u2019re talking about here, and paying a few cents extra for a quality food product shouldn\u2019t be a concern for many people.
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However, kosher salt does compare favorably to other types of exotic salts, such as Himalayan pink salt.<\/a> When we consider the prices of salt and seasoning mixes, the cost of kosher salt is far less. Considering that kosher salt tastes better than most seasoned salt brands, we think it offers excellent value for your money and the preferred choice for your kitchen.
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For those people who enjoy pre-seasoned salt blends, try making your own using bulk seasonings and kosher salt. You control what goes into the mix, and considering the high-end price tag of most seasoning brands, you\u2019ll benefit from the savings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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14. Do I Need Iodine?
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Go into the pantry and pick up your bottle of salt. The chances are that the label reads that the product contains iodine <\/a>\u2013 but do you really need iodine in your diet?
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Most table salt brands include sodium iodide, potassium iodide, and sodium iodate, along with trace amounts of iodine. Marketers use this as a sales tactic to try to give consumers the impression that iodine is a critical mineral to add to a healthy diet.
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However, the reason behind why manufacturers and brands promote iodine in the product goes back to the early 1920s when the practice of adding iodine to salt had a use in eliminating the epidemic of goiter plaguing the population around the Great Lakes district over to the Pacific North-west.
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Nowadays, we don\u2019t have to worry about goiter, so there\u2019s no need to include iodine in your diet, regardless of what the table salt manufacturers may claim.
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