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As we all know, salt is essential in our health and growth. It also makes the brain and nerves perform their duties properly, send electrical impulses to the brain, and maintain the balance of fluid in our body. Water has to be evaporated from seawater to produce salt, leaving the pure salt behind. However, not all salts are created with the same mineral capacity as the other.
Two popular salt varieties we’ll be comparing today is the Kosher salt Vs Himalayan salt. What is the difference between these 2 salts? And which of them is better?
Kosher and Himalayan salts are both primarily used for seasoning food. Kosher salt is white in color and is good for curing meats, while Himalayan salt is pinkish with has 84 trace of minerals and a soft, mild taste. Himalayan salt is healthier than Kosher salt and is highly recommended for general use.
In this article, we will be learning more about Kosher salt and Himalayan salt, focusing more on their differences and similarities.
What Is Kosher Salt?
Kosher salt is made by clumping smaller granules of salt into larger flakes.
Kosher salt, also known as cooking salt, is coarse and very edible and does not contain any additives like iodine. It is mainly made with sodium chloride and may also act as an anti-ageing agent.
What Is Kosher Salt Used For?
Cooking
Kosher salt is mainly used for cooking as it has its natural flavour due to the lack of certain bitter-tasting additives like iodine.
Brining Of Meat
The coarse salt is used to make a dry brine, which increases the juiciness and flavors of the dish and works under some religious requirements.
The meat is primarily soaked in water before it is drained and completely covered with a thin layer of salt.
Cleaning
Due to the size of the grain, it is used as an abrasive cleaner for cooking devices such as the cast iron skillet.
When this salt is mixed with oil, you can use it as an abrasive cleaner that can be easily washed off with water, unlike other organic cleaners that leave a gritty residue when it Is not thoroughly rinsed.
What Is Himalayan Salt?
Himalayan pink salt is a rock salt that is usually mined in Pakistan. Due to the trace minerals it contains, these rock minerals have a pinkish appearance.
Apart from the fact that it is used to preserve food and cooking, it is also used for decorative lamps and spa treatments.
What Is Himalayan Salt Used For?
Flavour
The primary use of Himalayan salt is to flavor food. Due to marketing cost and its unique appearance, Himalayan salt is 20 times more expensive than ordinary salt.
Himalayan salt is healthier than other regular salt, but some disagreements have been made because its impurities give it its pinkish color, making it less pure than other salts.
Production Of Glass Cups and Serving Dishes
Slabs of this salt are used to make serving dishes, grills and baking stones. Himalayan salts are also used to make the glasses used for tequila shot glasses, and, in such uses, small amounts of salts are being transferred from the glass to the drink altering its flavor profile.
Salt Lamps
Himalayan salts are also used to make salt lamps that radiate a pinkish or orangish hue. Salt lamps can pose as a danger to pets since they may be tempted to lick them, thereby by infecting themselves with salt poisoning.
Kosher Salt Vs Himalayan Salt: Key Differences
Appearance
The most apparent difference between kosher and Himalayan salt is its appearance. While kosher salt appears white, Himalayan salt is pinkish.
Himalayan salt can also appear in an off-white color that is not pinkish, but either way, if you are given these two salts to differentiate, you would be able to tell which is kosher salt and which is Himalayan pink salt.
Taste
Another important and noticeable way these two might differ is in flavor. Kosher salt, most times, offers a pure salt flavor that is devoid of any other taste except saltiness.
In contrast, Himalayan salt contains other minerals, which gives it a more complex flavor profile. If you require salt just for its salty taste, you should consider kosher salt instead.
Nutritional Profile
While kosher salt is mainly made of regulated sodium chloride, Himalayan pink salt has several other nutrients that your body might need. Still, you can get these nutrients only in trace amounts.
Frequently Asked Question
Can Kosher Salt Be Used as A Substitute for Himalayan Salt?
Yes, you can substitute kosher salt for himalayan salt. Since both salts have the primary function of adding flavor to your dishes, you can use them interchangeably, that is only if your focus is on flavor.
You can use kosher salt in applications that need pink salt, and it is better used as a finishing agent since it does not easily dissolve.
How Much Himalayan Salt Equals Kosher Salt?
The substitute rate of both salts is almost the same. ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt equals ¼ teaspoon of Himalayan salt.
Can I Use Himalayan Salt Instead of Kosher for Baking?
You can use Himalayan salt for baking purposes, a matter of fact, and you can use it in almost all recipes that require sea or table salts.
Besides baking, Himalayan salt is very versatile and can also be used as ingredients or seasoning for your soups.
When used in baking, Himalayan pink salt provides your baking dish with an exquisite taste, texture and aesthetics, and when used as a finisher, it provides your baking dish with a unique and flaky texture.
When substituting Himalayan salt for kosher salt, it should be done on a 1:1 basis and note that the measuring is better done in weight like grams and ounces and not volumes like teaspoons and tablespoons.
Which Is Healthier, Kosher or Himalayan Salt?
Pink Himalayan salt is healthier than kosher salt by diet experts because it controls heart pressure.
It does not dehydrate you, contrary to almost every ordinary salt. It also contains minerals like calcium, which helps form strong bones and teeth.
Some non-dietary benefits of Himalayan salt include the fact that it can help you relax as it is an excellent option for salt baths.
In most cases, it is used in salt lamps that help by purifying the air and clearing out any negative energy.
Due to its rough granular size is an excellent option to use for specific spa treatments like facial and body scrubs.
