What is the best salt to put on your food? A Comprehensive Guide

December 10, 2025 •

3 min read

According to research from the Center for Science in the Public Interest, not all salts are created equal, and the type of salt you choose can dramatically affect the outcome of your cooking. Finding the answer to "What is the best salt to put on your food?" depends on the dish and desired result, from everyday seasoning to a gourmet finish.

Quick Summary

The ideal salt depends on its application, with kosher salt and fine sea salt being versatile choices for everyday cooking. Flaky salts add texture and visual appeal when used as a finishing touch, while table salt is precise for baking. Different salt varieties offer unique mineral compositions, textures, and flavors that suit specific culinary needs.

Key Points

For everyday seasoning, kosher salt is best: Its large, flaky crystals are easy to pinch, giving cooks greater control and dissolving quickly and cleanly.
For baking, use table salt: Its fine, uniform grains ensure even distribution in batters and doughs, preventing salty pockets.
Use finishing salts for texture and flavor: Flaky sea salts like Maldon are ideal for sprinkling on finished dishes to add a satisfying crunch and burst of flavor.
Himalayan pink salt offers visual appeal, not health benefits: Its vibrant color comes from trace minerals, but the amounts are nutritionally insignificant.
Taste is the best guide: Experiment with different salts to understand how their textures and flavors complement specific foods.
Adjust for different densities: When substituting salts, be aware that their densities vary. For example, you may need more Diamond Crystal kosher salt by volume than table salt to achieve the same salinity.

Understanding the Fundamentals: Sodium Chloride

At its core, all salt is sodium chloride, a mineral compound essential for human health. The differences between the numerous types of salt on the market lie in their harvesting methods, mineral content, and crystal size, all of which affect texture, flavor, and how they interact with food. From mined rock salt to evaporated seawater, each process yields a unique product with a specific best use. Understanding these distinctions is key to elevating your cooking from good to great.

The Workhorse Salts: Kosher and Table Salt

For everyday cooking, kosher salt is favored by chefs for its large, flaky crystals that are easy to pinch, providing control over seasoning. It dissolves quickly, making it suitable for brining and general cooking. Table salt has fine, uniform grains ideal for baking where precise measurement is needed, but it often contains iodine and anti-caking agents that can affect taste.

Gourmet and Finishing Salts

Finishing salts add texture and flavor to completed dishes. Maldon sea salt flakes offer delicate, pyramid-shaped crystals and a clean flavor. Fleur de sel has fine, moist flakes with a briny taste. Himalayan pink salt's color comes from trace minerals; it is used as a finishing salt for its appearance and complex flavor.

Comparison of Common Salts


Salt Type	Best For...	Texture	Flavor	Notes
Kosher Salt	General cooking, brining, seasoning meat	Coarse, flaky	Pure, clean	Offers great control when seasoning by hand.
Table Salt	Baking, measuring precisely	Fine, uniform	Straight salinity	Often contains iodine and anti-caking agents.
Maldon Flakes	Finishing, desserts, roasted vegetables	Large, thin flakes	Clean, delicate	Adds a satisfying crunch and visual appeal.
Himalayan Pink	Finishing, grilling, aesthetic garnish	Fine to coarse	Mild, complex	Distinctive pink color from trace minerals.
Fleur de Sel	Finishing, salads, cooked vegetables	Fine, moist flakes	Delicate, briny	Considered a premium, luxury salt.
Smoked Salt	Grilling, barbecue, smoked salmon	Various	Smoky, woodsy	Infused with flavor over a real wood fire.

Choosing the Right Salt for Specific Dishes

Choosing salt involves matching its properties to the food. Table salt's fine grains are best for baking, ensuring even distribution. Kosher salt adheres well to meat, creating a crust. Finishing salts like Maldon add texture and flavor to finished dishes.

The Health Angle: Fact vs. Fiction

Claims that gourmet salts are significantly healthier due to trace minerals are largely unfounded. The mineral amounts are too small to impact diet meaningfully. The main health consideration remains overall sodium intake, not the salt type. Moderation is key.

Storing and Using Your Salts

Store salts in airtight containers in a cool, dry place. Salt cellars are convenient for cooking and finishing salts. Experimenting with different salts expands culinary options. The best salt is ultimately a matter of personal preference and understanding its uses.

Conclusion

There is no single "best" salt; the choice depends on the culinary application. Kosher salt is a versatile everyday salt. Table salt is precise for baking. Finishing salts add texture and flavor. A collection of salts allows for enhancing various dishes. Experimenting is the best way to find your preferred salts.

Visit a resource for detailed salt conversions when substituting different types in recipes, such as the King Arthur Baking guide.

The Mineral Content of Salt and Its Health Implications

While some salts contain trace minerals, their health impact is often exaggerated. All salt is mainly sodium chloride, and the small amount of extra minerals is nutritionally insignificant. A balanced diet provides necessary minerals. Health authorities recommend limiting overall sodium intake.

Frequently Asked Questions

The main difference is crystal size and density. Kosher salt has larger, flakier crystals, while table salt has smaller, uniform grains. Kosher salt also typically lacks the iodine and anti-caking agents found in table salt.

For baking, it is best to use table salt or fine sea salt. Their small, consistent grain size ensures they dissolve and distribute evenly throughout batters and doughs.

No, the health benefits of gourmet salts due to trace minerals are highly overstated. The amount of extra minerals is negligible, and the primary health concern remains overall sodium intake, regardless of the salt type.

Finishing salts, such as Maldon or Fleur de sel, should be used after cooking. They are best for adding a final burst of flavor and a delicate, crunchy texture to a finished dish.

Chefs prefer kosher salt because its coarse crystals are easy to pick up and sprinkle by hand, offering greater control over seasoning. It also has a pure, clean taste and dissolves quickly.

Because kosher salt is less dense by volume than table salt, you will need to use a larger amount. If a recipe calls for table salt, use about twice the amount of Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 1.5 times the amount of Morton's kosher salt.

Yes, adding salt to water raises its boiling point slightly. This means the water will reach a higher temperature before boiling, which can lead to faster cooking for some foods, like pasta.