If you are curious to know what kosher salt is or wants to know how you can substitute it, read on.
What Is Kosher Salt?
Kosher is a Jewish or Hebrew term meaning ”pure” and is part of the precepts of Judaism.
In the Jewish community, for a food to be considered kosher, a series of processes faithful to the Jewish religion must pass. The result is food that can be consumed by those who profess Judaism.
It is mainly used for the treatment of kosher meat, where the blood is drawn in the process of kashrut (another law of the Jews is that they cannot eat any food with blood).
Kosher salt is neither iodized nor fluorinated. It is a coarse salt, sometimes flaked, and many people claim that it tastes cleaner than ordinary salt.
Due to its coarse grain, this salt gives a crispy texture to some dishes. It is the type of salt that we often find in pretzels and margarita glasses.
What Can You Use Instead of Kosher Salt?
When substituting kosher salt we have to take into account the difference in flavor and volume, since not all kosher salts have the same thickness.
#1. Table Salt
The fastest, cheapest and most affordable option would be to substitute kosher salt with table salt.
Obviously, the grain is not similar, and it must be taken into account that it has added additives.
The amount of salt in a tablespoon of kosher salt is not the same as in a tablespoon of table salt.
So a good measure would be one teaspoon of kosher salt for half of a teaspoon of table salt. Check your recipe well and be careful with the amounts of salt as an excess can be bad.
#2. Sea Salt
One of the best alternatives is sea salt. This salt is obtained by evaporation of the seawater and does not undergo any type of refining.
It is rich in sodium, calcium, magnesium, and manganese. For this reason, its grain is thicker (we usually know it as coarse salt) but it is the most similar option to kosher salt.
Another difference is that sea salt dissolves more slowly. It is ideal for preparing fish and meat, as well as all kinds of grilled products.
If you do not care much about the flavor and what you are looking for is to prepare a delicious dish that has visible coarse salt, choose this option.
Due to the similarity of its grains, the measurement would be as follows: One teaspoon of sea salt for one teaspoon of kosher salt.
#3. Pickling Salt
If what you are looking to replace is not the grain size, the pickling salt will save you. The pickling salt has no added additives. This makes it a similar product in composition to kosher salt.
The difference between kosher salt, sea salt and pickling salt is that the latter has the smallest grains.
The size of its grains is what makes it dissolve more quickly in food than other coarse salts.
It is a good option if you want a healthy alternative without added additives. But keep in mind that your dishes won’t have that added coarse salt decoration.
#4. Himalayan Salt
Himalayan salt is a salt that comes from a rock mined from a region in Pakistan. It is collected in the ecological sedimentary strata, which are the remains of an ocean 200 million years ago.
This salt has a very high purity and is characterized by having a pink color, due to its high iron content. It has a crisp texture and is the most expensive due to the cost of its extraction.
In supermarkets, we can find it in two forms: ground or rock-shaped.
It is an option to consider if you want to change the flavor of your recipe a little as Himalayan salt has a bitter taste.
In addition, you also have to take into account that the color of your recipe will change. Himalayan salt is ideal for cooking fish and meat on the grill.
Final words
Remember that whatever option you choose, you have to control the consumption of salt in your diet.
It has many benefits such as protecting your body against bacteria, helping with tension and muscle function. But we must take into account the iodine that we introduce into our diet through other foods.
Salt consumed in excessive amounts can lead to an increase in blood pressure that can be dangerous to health.
Although it is necessary, it is not good to abuse it. As you can see, it can cause serious health consequences. The paradox is that if we don’t consume it, our body also suffers.
The ideal is to use it in just the right amount to avoid major ills. Eating a balanced diet is part of a balanced life.
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