There are countless objects around that you take for granted. Minuscule objects that are an intricate part of our life. You never stop to think about how different life would have been without them. Please don’t take it too hard on yourself; every one of us is guilty of the same crime. We have become too immersed in our fast digital life, our leisure time is spent on smartphone screens, and it has become difficult for modest objects to fetch our attention.
Take salt, for example, it is a mineral essential for the human body, yet we think of it as a mundane ingredient used for cooking. No one gazes upon the salt dispenser on the dining table wondering about its significance in life. If you are wondering by any chance, salt used to be one of the most valuable assets of ancient empires and has a crucial role in human history.
Over the years, the significance of salt in our lives have declined, and some of its remarkable uses have been forgotten. Salt crusting is an exceptional ancient cooking technique which has taken a back seat over time. Through the process, meat, fish or even vegetables are encased in a salt shell before cooking. The crust is made by mixing salt with water to form a thick paste. Then, it is smothered around your food before baking in an oven.
Salt crusting has some significant benefits; some of them are listed below.
- Produces more tender and flavourful food.
- Salt is a poor conductor of heat. It means it allows slow heat penetration inside of the crust. Your salt crust oven is naturally “low and slow”.
- Salt crust paste can be shaped to fit any food easily. When applied correctly the crust acts a seal around your meat or fish, trapping the natural flavours inside by creating an oven within an oven.
- Slow heat penetration helps to maintain food’s natural juices.
- Herbs and spices can be mixed with the salt to create more flavour.
There is no health advisory against salt crusting. However, it is imperative to use good quality purified salt. The purity of salt is essential irrespective of the food we consume; unrefined salt can affect your health in various ways.
In Bangladesh, consumers have access to both refined and unrefined salt. Unrefined salt is generally dried from seawater and in some cases, mined from inland ocean beds. Unrefined (Impure) salt can be a severe health hazard; they contain harmful chemicals like sodium sulfate. Impure salt can have severe consequences, including damaging the kidney. They can also cause swelling of the body and nausea. According to BSTI, an analysis of the impure and substandard salt revealed traces of excess sodium chloride (91.5%), 7.5% sodium, and 1% moisture; it can cause serious health consequence.
Therefore, Bangladeshi consumers need to use refined salt in their daily consumption. The refined salts must comply with international and Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) regulations to ensure purity and adequate iodization. Unfortunately, most branded salts in the market failed to meet the benchmarks set by the authorities. A report by WHO concluded that most salts in Bangladesh contain impurities and lack adequate levels of iodine. It is causing iodine deficiency among Bangladeshis in large numbers.
THERE IS NO HEALTH ADVISORY AGAINST SALT CRUSTING. HOWEVER, IT IS IMPERATIVE TO USE GOOD QUALITY PURIFIED SALT. THE PURITY OF SALT IS ESSENTIAL IRRESPECTIVE OF THE FOOD WE CONSUME; UNREFINED SALT CAN AFFECT YOUR HEALTH IN VARIOUS WAYS.
Fortunately, there is a silver lining among the dark clouds; there is a brand-consumer can put their faith on. Fresh Super Premium Salt has passed every compliance test set by Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI). It is produced by using the combination of Switzerland’s Latest USD Technology and Vacuum Evaporation System which can remove all impurities and ensures a natural balance of all minerals like Sodium Chloride, Iodine, Calcium, and Magnesium. The state-of-the-art USD Technology and Vacuum Evaporation System ensures that the impurities which are harmful to the human body are removed, salt is processed at high temperatures eliminating the presence of harmful bacteria. Most importantly, it contains balanced iodine adequate for the population of our country; Fresh Premium Super Salt has set a benchmark for purity and quality of refined salts in Bangladesh.