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The biggest difference in flavor is that table salt usually has added iodine and anti-clumping agents. You know, the stuff that lets it keep pouring even when it's raining... Both alter the flavor ...
Answer
#2: Post edited
by
shog9
·
2020-07-10T02:02:08Z (almost 4 years ago)
- The biggest difference in flavor is that table salt usually has added iodine and anti-clumping agents. You know, the stuff that lets it [keep pouring even when it's raining](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morton_Salt)...
- Both alter the flavor slightly. Not a lot, but... Slightly. If you're working with a sensitive dish, or doing something that requires a LOT of salt (pickling...) you might wanna avoid table salt for this reason.
- Sea salt can also contain trace elements *other than salt* - in fact, quite a bit of sea salt is advertised as such, although whether there are any real health benefits is debatable; if you're deficient in some mineral, you're probably best going with a more reliable source of it than some fancy salt-seller's vague claims as to their salt's potassium, magnesium or iron content.
The other significant difference is... Shape! Just as koshering salt can be preferable for some dishes due to its large size (sprinkled on a steak or a cucumber, you'll taste it on your tongue moreso than dissolved in the juices), different sizes of grains can alter how salt is *perceived* even if the chemical differences are negligible. But... Since both table salt and sea salt grain sizes vary between brands and batches... Your mileage may vary.
- The biggest difference in flavor is that table salt usually has added iodine and anti-clumping agents. You know, the stuff that lets it [keep pouring even when it's raining](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morton_Salt)...
- Both alter the flavor slightly. Not a lot, but... Slightly. If you're working with a sensitive dish, or doing something that requires a LOT of salt (pickling...) you might wanna avoid table salt for this reason.
- Sea salt can also contain trace elements *other than salt* - in fact, quite a bit of sea salt is advertised as such, although whether there are any real health benefits is debatable; if you're deficient in some mineral, you're probably best going with a more reliable source of it than some fancy salt-seller's vague claims as to their salt's potassium, magnesium or iron content.
- The other significant difference is... Shape! Just as koshering salt can be preferable for some dishes due to its large size (sprinkled on a steak or a cucumber, you'll taste it on your tongue moreso than dissolved in the juices), different sizes of grains can alter how salt is *perceived* even if the chemical differences are negligible. But... Since both table salt and sea salt grain sizes vary between brands and batches... Your mileage may vary.
- Further reading: [Salt Types and Measurements, from Cook's Illustrated](https://www.cooksillustrated.com/how_tos/5799-salt-types-and-measurements)
#1: Initial revision
by
shog9
·
2020-07-10T01:58:46Z (almost 4 years ago)
The biggest difference in flavor is that table salt usually has added iodine and anti-clumping agents. You know, the stuff that lets it [keep pouring even when it's raining](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morton_Salt)... Both alter the flavor slightly. Not a lot, but... Slightly. If you're working with a sensitive dish, or doing something that requires a LOT of salt (pickling...) you might wanna avoid table salt for this reason. Sea salt can also contain trace elements *other than salt* - in fact, quite a bit of sea salt is advertised as such, although whether there are any real health benefits is debatable; if you're deficient in some mineral, you're probably best going with a more reliable source of it than some fancy salt-seller's vague claims as to their salt's potassium, magnesium or iron content. The other significant difference is... Shape! Just as koshering salt can be preferable for some dishes due to its large size (sprinkled on a steak or a cucumber, you'll taste it on your tongue moreso than dissolved in the juices), different sizes of grains can alter how salt is *perceived* even if the chemical differences are negligible. But... Since both table salt and sea salt grain sizes vary between brands and batches... Your mileage may vary.