One of the most common phrases used is add Salt to taste, it is something that we take for granted and do not realise how salt adds to the flavour of the food.

Salt is found both on land and in water, we know about salt water and most dishes would be incomplete without salt, unfortunately too much salt can be bad for health, we need to be careful with salt intake.

It is difficult to classify salt and put a label to it as they are known by different names and not all types of salt are consumed in India. 

Let us take a look at the different types of salt that are used in India:

1. Table salt : it contains iodine and is the most common ingredient that we use to add taste to our food, it is found everywhere, we use it at home, restaurants and hotels, all these places have salt containers on the table.

2. Salt with low sodium content: salt can lead to health problems like hypertension and affects the blood pressure, to avoid this we need to eat salt that has less sodium as compared to table salt.

3. Pink salt: It originates from the Himalayas and gets the name pink salt because of other substances present in the salt that makes it appear to be pink.

4. Sea salt: it is obtained from sea water, this type of salt has a natural taste, it does not melt easily and adds flavour to the food that we eat.

5. Rock salt: known as the best form of salt according to studies, it is said to be the natural form of salt, as it does not contain any chemicals that affect the quality of the salt.

6. Black salt: also called Himalayan salt, is not completely black, if you look closely the salt is a mix of black and red colour, it is helpful for those suffering from heart and stomach problems.

7. Smoked salt: this is different because it depends upon the smoking process used that gives it the unique flavour and taste when it is used for cooking food.

Now that we have learnt about the different types of salt here are some strange beliefs about salt:

A. There is a belief that if you put salt on a birds tail, it will be unable to fly and makes it possible to catch the bird, I saw this in a Woody woodpecker cartoon called Knock Knock which uses this idea in a way that is funny and hilarious.

B. If you spill salt, it believed that you suffer losses, it is also considered bad luck to pass the salt to someone else and if you want to protect your house then throw some salt on the window.

C. One must not allow salt to fall under your feet and it should not be swept away with a broom as it is believed that it will have a negative effect on your life.

In the end, salt has one more important purpose, that is preservation of food, this is essential because it makes the food edible for a longer period of time, this proves that salt is an important part of our daily lives.