Welcome To The World of Salt

No other mineral has changed the world quite like salt. Commonly known as table salt or by its chemical name sodium chloride (NaCl), It is an essential compound for life, playing a crucial role in biological functions. Salt is also very abundant, with some estimates claiming there are over 1 trillion tons of dissolved solids globally, which is to say the vast majority of salt is spread evenly throughout the world’s oceans at 35 grams of salt per one kilo of seawater (not counting the vast amounts of rock salts in solid form).

For thousands of years, humans have relied on salt not only for seasoning but also as a powerful food preservative. Its ability to prevent food spoilage helped early civilizations thrive by reducing dependence on seasonal harvests and enabling long-distance food transport. It did this through a process called osmosis, where salt effectively draws moisture out of bacteria, effectively stopping them. Without water, bacterial proteins such as enzymes cannot function and eventually the cell collapses in on itself. However, salt was once scarce and highly prized like gold and silver, often serving as a form of currency and was a forerunner to the modern day stock market. In ancient Rome, it was so valuable that, according to Pliny the Elder, soldiers were paid in salt—an idea that may have influenced the word salary to name a few. Trade routes dedicated to salt, such as Italy’s Via Salaria, date back to the Bronze Age, underscoring its significance in shaping commerce and culture. It is safe to say salt was and still is an important mineral in our daily lives. In this article we will explore the role of salt in our diets and the cultural significance it still holds. 

What is salt?

health-benefits-of-consuming-salts-natural-fleur-de-sel-nacl-sodium-morocco-spain-france
importance-of-salt-in-the-human-body-wisdom-natural-wellness-health-porcini-celtic-flakes
millstone-natural-salts-morocco-atlas-mountains-pure-health-minerals-magnesium-sodium-gut-microbiome
natural-fleur-de-sel-rock-salt-flavour-blends-porcini-nacl-black-flakes
"Our bodies are our gardens; our wills are our gardeners."
William Shakespeare
Playwright and Poet

What is salt? The simplest definition would be salt is a chemical compound formed when an acid reacts with a base, resulting in positively charged ions (cations) and negatively charged ions (anions) held together by ionic bonds. The most common example is sodium chloride (NaCl), or table salt, which is made of sodium and chloride ions.

Salt is found in many different forms, from industrial uses to culinary use and is one of the most useful compounds known to man. At Millstone however, we are only concerned with salt that can be used on our food. There are many different varieties of salts we could produce, but we have come to love the fleur de sel finishing salt we produce in Morocco and Spain. It is by far the most natural and healthiest salt that can be produced and consumed. 

What is fleur de sel salt?

Fleur de sel is a delicate, hand-harvested salt that forms as thin, flaky crystals on the surface of ancient saltwater evaporation ponds. It has to be treated with utmost care and respect due to its temperamental and often arbitrary nature. Its name, meaning "flower of salt" in French, reflects its fine texture and unique formation of the salt crystals. It is used as a finishing salt only, and for maximum effect it really needs to be dashed on with the fingers.  

Our Millstone fleur de sel finishing salts are created by some of the oldest salt mines in Morocco. The Ourika Valley is rich in natural rock salt formations and mineral rich water. It is this rare combination that creates the salt brine. It is done by adding natural rock salt to the wells, in an ongoing permanent procedure which keeps the brine concentrated with all of the  transformative minerals.

The brine water is then drawn from the well and poured into flat salt beds, each approximately 2 meters by 5 meters and 60 cm deep. Water is left to evaporate under the sun for about 3 weeks during the hotter months of the year. In the cooler months, it can take up to 4 to 6 weeks for the water to evaporate. As you can see, this is a very time-honoured practice that requires understanding and passion.

Once the evaporation is complete, crystallisation of natural salt happens, like fleur de sel. The crystals are taken out carefully by hand and piled into large mounds, where they are allowed to dry in the Moroccan elements for another 3 to 4 weeks before being preserved in our airtight tins.

Journey Into Taste

Alchemy and Magic

Salt is a universal flavour enhancer, subtly shaping taste depending on its concentration. In small amounts, it reduces bitterness while amplifying sweetness, sourness, and umami. At higher concentrations, it suppresses sweetness and intensifies umami, enhancing savory dishes, it really is the magic mineral. Its purity and lack of interfering flavours make it a reliable and essential ingredient in cooking. When it comes to tasting salt, the ion channels on our salt-sensitive taste cells are very small: just big enough to let the tiny sodium and chloride ions through, but not much else, including most other dissolved salts. This is the key to why sodium chloride is one of the only salts that actually taste ‘salty’ to us. 

Not all salt is created equal. At Millstone we are all about Taste, and we take our salts very seriously. We believe that some salts are better than others. This is both an objective truth and subjective opinion.

Fleur De Sel

By far our favourite salt. Fleur de sel is the ‘flower of salt’ and it gets this name due to the fluffy appearance of the salt flakes, made possible by the much higher moisture content than table salt (10% moisture compared to 0.5% in table salt). This higher moisture content, which makes the salt crystals sticky also brings out the subtle tasting notes, hitting both the mineral-sweet and salty-savory levels to perfection. Notable minerals that give our Fleur De Sel its distinctive taste are iron, magnesium, potassium, calcium and of course sodium chloride, all absolutely essential minerals for a healthy life. This higher mineral content is essential for electrolyte replenishment which supports healthy muscle function, bone health, and blood pressure regulation. Regular table salt lacks this ability due to its total lack of the aforementioned minerals. Fleur de sel really is worth its weight in gold. It is the extra virgin olive oil of the salt world, and should be treated with respect. We take this a step further at Millstone, introducing new and exciting salt blends such as our Atlas Fleur De Sel with organic lemon and fennel, all grown from within 30 miles of our salt mines.

No Straight Lines in Nature

Like all things good and natural, uniqueness is plentiful. Unlike regular table salt, which is uniformly cut and coloured to precision, a good fleur de sel should have a tinge to it, usually a clean off white but with a unique brightness and vigour. Fleur de sel gets its colour from the clay salt beds and mineral makeup of the local region as well as positive microalga which is an oxygen producing bacteria we most definitely need within our gut microbiome. 

SALT FAQ

What is a salt?

Salt is a natural mineral made of sodium (Na) and chloride (Cl). It is essential for life, used to flavour food, preserve food, and help the body function properly by balancing fluids and supporting nerves and muscles.

Why should I use salt?

In cooking, salt reduces bitterness, enhances sweetness and umami, and brings out natural flavours. Salt is also highly beneficial to our gut microbiomes, providing the sale is of a high quality and used in the correct amounts.

The Gut Microbiome and salt?

The gut microbiome is the garden of the body where health is created and distributed by over 100 trillion microorganisms that work in tandem to keep us going. Salt is one of the main minerals our gut needs to maintain optimal bodily functions such as energy production and cell activity.

Why Millstone salts?

Our sourcing philosophy at Millstone is simple. Certified organic and a seed to shelf of no more than three months (it is not uncommon to buy two year seed to shelf salts, herbs and spices from larger suppliers).

Millstone also believes in telling the stories of our farmers and our customers, we are simply a gateway between the two.  

Journey Into Health

Is salt healthy? 

As with all things in life, context is needed. Salt is essential for health in the right amounts but can be harmful in excess. The body needs sodium from salt to maintain fluid balance, support nerve function, and regulate muscle contractions. However, too much salt can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, and kidney issues, especially with processed foods high in sodium. The key is moderation. So yes, salt is healthy, but can be unhealthy if used incorrectly. 

Hidden salt and UPFs

Salt or more commonly sodium chloride, is dangerous at extremely high concentrations, as are fats and sugars. These three ingredients are the holy trinity of ultra processed foods and have a lot to answer for in regards to the global health crisis. The average recommended daily intake of salt is 4 grams to 6 grams for a healthy adult, the reality for most is actually 12 grams to 15 grams daily, due in part to an overconsumption of ultra processed foods. 75% of the salt we consume is hidden in processed and ultra processed foods, this includes items like store bought bread, cereals and even tinned vegetables. The problem with hidden salts in UPFs is that salt can not be moderated, the salt is hidden in the recipe, often unnoticed as the salt flavour is overpowered by sugar. Salt is not dangerous, but hidden salts are. 

Too much salt in the bloodstream can starve your cells of water, which leads to a decrease in optimal bodily functions. To put it simply, with too much salt you risk high blood pressure, limited energy and cognitive functions, inflammation and weight gain to name a few. Key words being ‘too much’, not salt itself. Even table salts in very low amounts would not bring any harm to you (despite having dubious additives known as anti-caking agents added to them). 

The solution?

Reduce salt intake from ultra processed foods by reducing total consumption of ultra processed foods, or eradicating them completely and start treating salt with the respect it deserves. Salt is a wonderful taste sensation, and thankfully it’s not bad for us, in fact we need it to survive. So why not enjoy the wonderful experience of salt as part of a healthy balanced diet?

understanding-salts-kosher-porcini-celtic-pink-himalayan-pickling-flakey-sea-salt
how-to-cook-with-salt-for-health-wellness-fleur-de-sel-harissa-ras-el-hanout
how-to-cook-with-celtic-salt-natural-mineral-chef-special-salts-millstone
using-salt-to-heal-body-gut-microbiome-porcini-black-flake-burlap-mortar-spice-kitchen
Why the gut microbiome needs salt

Our guts, the gardens of our bodies are both delicate yet robust organs that can think for themselves and take action where needed to maintain themselves and our bodies as a whole. There are over 100 trillion highly active microorganisms that reside within our guts, each one has a role, some good, some bad, but all equally as important to maintain oneself. 

How our gut microbiome benefits from salt

Our guts are complex places with a lot of activity going on, it needs feeding a diet high in nutrients, minerals, fibre, phytonutrients, polyphenols and much more. Salt is just one mineral required for healthy optimal gut activity (but not too much of course). As far as the gut is concerned, salt, or sodium chloride (NaCl) aids the gut in digestion by transporting glucose and amino acids across the gut lining into the bloodstream, making it essential for energy and cell function. Chloride (from salt) is a key component of hydrochloric acid (HCl) in the stomach, which helps break down food and kill harmful bacteria. Salt also helps maintain the balance of fluids in the intestines, preventing dehydration and constipation, but of course this needs to be combined with healthy hydration throughout the day. Salt is just one of the minerals required by the trillions of healthy gut bacteria to perform their functions, not too much and not too little. It’s worth noting that every single human has a unique gut microbiota makeup, which is to say the ratio of good bacteria vs bad bacteria, viruses and fungi. Our microbiota is believed to stabilize by the age of three, remaining unchanged all the way through to adulthood and later life, this means that early life experiences may impact the composition of this bacteria, which would be our gut and immune responses throughout our lives.  

 

Cooking with Salt

“Season to taste”

And season we must. Now that we have established that ultra processed foods are bad, and we have eliminated them from our diets, we can now begin to enjoy salt in all of its glory once again. Cooking should be a fun adventure, like travel, where you get to learn about new cultures, new smells, tastes and customs. Cooking in the kitchen is second best to travel. 

Personal preference

Some recipes advocate to never add salt during cooking, and instead ‘season to taste’ only, but we believe this is really down to your own personal preference and cooking styles. For instance salt can be used during cooking to help to bring out certain flavours of meats and vegetables, and equally at the end salt can enhance volatile flavour compounds of certain foods. 

Know thy limits

The key to cooking with salt is to know the limit of acceptance, from a taste perspective but also a health perspective. A recipe only has so much real estate, and with that space you have to fit in all of your ingredients. Focusing on the flavour side of things, spices and herbs should be your top priority. As we have explained in our other Wisdom articles, these powerhouses come loaded with nutrients, minerals, phytonutrients, fibre and much more. The taste and health benefits they bring far outweigh that of salt alone. Spices and herbs should be used to create your complex flavour profiles as you cook, and a garnish of ‘salt to taste’ at the end with a fine fleur de sel to really accentuate the complex flavours you've created. Adding too much salt at the end will ruin your hard work, sure, it will send positive taste sensations to your brain, but you would be missing out on so much more (our organic ras el hanout for example). We have created a fine range of flavoured fleur de sel salts that can add an extra dimension to your dishes, making a good thing even better.

To Finish

Millstone was founded to address the issue of quality in the world of spices, herbs and salts. Our mission is to journey into taste and excite all senses, and our principles that guide us are; Taste, Health, Design and Culture. The term ‘quality’ can and will be applied to all of our principles. 

There really are no shortcuts to quality. 

Taste - We watch our crops grow on organic farms in natural environments. 

Health - Our crops are free from chemical fertilisers and dense with essential nutrients and minerals. 

Design - Our design aesthetic and packaging inspires and motivates. 

Culture - We travel the world to learn about other cultures, sharing our journey with you as we go.

Millstone is committed to fulfilling its mission and delivering on its promise of taste, health, design and culture. We are excited to show you our world of spices, herbs and salts.

Come with us as we journey into taste.

Shop Millstone

Spices (4)

4 products

Spice Blends (3)

3 products

Salts (4)

4 products
Back to list
Older The World of Herbs

Related projects