Understanding the Salt Spectrum: From Refined to Unrefined
The salt found on grocery store shelves isn't all the same. The difference lies in the level of processing it undergoes, which significantly impacts its mineral content, texture, and flavor. At one end of the spectrum is common table salt, a highly refined product. At the other end are unrefined salts, like Real Salt, that retain their natural mineral composition and distinctive characteristics.
What Makes Table Salt “Processed”?
Common table salt is harvested from either rock salt deposits or modern brine sources, but its final state is achieved through extensive industrial processing.
- High-Heat Treatment: The raw salt is heated to extremely high temperatures, often around 1,200°F, to strip it of all moisture and impurities.
- Mineral Stripping: This refining process removes the trace minerals and electrolytes that naturally occur in the salt deposit, leaving behind nearly pure sodium chloride (NaCl).
- Chemical Additives: To achieve a fine, consistent texture and a long shelf life, chemical agents are added. These can include anti-caking agents like calcium silicate and dextrose (a type of sugar) to stabilize added iodine.
- Bleaching: Some processed salts are also bleached to give them a stark white color.
The Minimally Processed Path of Real Salt
In contrast, the process for Redmond Real Salt is deliberately minimal, focusing on preservation rather than alteration. Real Salt is not manufactured in a factory but mined from an ancient seabed in Redmond, Utah, that was sealed off from modern pollutants by volcanic ash millions of years ago.
Here’s how the process works:
- Mining the Deposit: Salt is extracted from the mine walls using a hydraulic rotary tool.
- Crushing and Screening: The harvested salt chunks are brought to a mill, where they are crushed into smaller grains and passed through screens to sort them by size. This is the primary form of processing.
- Packaging: The finished salt is packaged without further intervention. Nothing is added and nothing is removed.
Comparing Real Salt, Table Salt, and Himalayan Salt
To understand the differences more clearly, let's examine the key attributes side-by-side.
| Property | Real Salt® | Common Table Salt | Himalayan Pink Salt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Source | Ancient marine deposit in Utah, USA | Modern oceans or underground salt mines | Salt mines in the Punjab region of Pakistan |
| Processing | Minimally processed, unrefined, and additive-free | Highly refined with high heat, stripping minerals | Minimally processed, unrefined |
| Mineral Content | 60+ trace minerals, including magnesium and potassium | Mostly pure sodium chloride (NaCl); fortified with iodine | Over 80 trace minerals, including iron, which gives it its pink color |
| Additives | No additives or anti-caking agents | Contains anti-caking agents and often dextrose | Typically no additives |
| Flavor Profile | Subtly sweet and balanced, without bitterness | Sharp, straightforward, and can taste bitter from additives | Earthy, often slightly metallic due to higher iron content |
| Environmental Impact | Mined in the USA; solar-powered facility reduces carbon footprint | High energy consumption for extensive refining and processing | Mined and shipped from Pakistan, increasing food miles |
What is left out of Real Salt’s processing?
The minimal processing approach means that several elements common in other salts are intentionally left out of Real Salt.
- No Bleaching: The speckled color of Real Salt comes from its natural mineral content, which is never bleached to achieve a pure white hue.
- No Anti-Caking Agents: Since it's not exposed to the chemicals used in refining, it naturally tends to absorb moisture and clump. Uncooked rice is suggested as a natural way to prevent clumping.
- No Excessive Heat: The salt is never heat-processed, preserving its natural state and mineral content.
- No Modern Pollutants: Sourcing from an ancient, protected seabed ensures the salt is free from contaminants like microplastics found in modern oceans.
- No Artificial Iodine: Unlike most iodized table salts, Real Salt's iodine content is naturally occurring and not synthetically added.
The Purity of Origin and Minimal Interference
The most compelling argument for Real Salt’s minimal processing is its origin. Harvested from a prehistoric inland sea, the salt deposit was preserved under layers of protective volcanic ash, shielding it from pollutants for millions of years. This natural preservation means the finished product requires little more than mining, crushing, and packaging to be table-ready.
For consumers seeking to minimize their intake of synthetic additives and heavily refined products, understanding this distinction is crucial. Real Salt's journey from mine to table is characterized by what is not done to it, upholding its claim as an unrefined, natural mineral salt.
Conclusion: Processing is the Key Differentiator
Ultimately, whether Real Salt is “processed” depends on one’s definition. While it undergoes physical processing like crushing and screening, it is not chemically refined, heat-processed, or stripped of its natural components like common table salt. The key takeaway is that Real Salt's production is minimal, preserving the integrity of the salt as nature intended it, while table salt's production is extensive and alters its original state. For health-conscious consumers, this difference in processing is what truly matters.
