SOME INGREDIENTS WE might claim to be ‘essential’ (chilli sauce, mayonnaise and cheese – preferably all together – being in my top three), but few are actually necessary for us humans to exist; except, that is, for salt.
Whether mined hundreds of metres beneath us and chucked back on our roads to prevent ice, or hand harvested from the sea and sprinkled in snow-like flakes over our scrambled eggs, salt has the same chemical composition. The sodium and chloride in salt (neither of which we produce naturally) are crucial in muscle function, nutrient absorption, fluid regulation and sending nerve signals to the brain.
But, of course, aside from its health properties, salt is also vital for enjoying food. As one of the five key ‘tastes’ we experience (the others being…
