Salt should be chosen by its 'label', not its image—A talk on salt for the natural-minded

Introduction

When you value additive-free products and a natural lifestyle, you naturally want to be particular about 'salt,' the seasoning you use most every day.

I am the same. However, as I researched salt, I realized one thing.

It is that the world of salt is overflowing with 'image-based words,' making it difficult to see the essence.

That is why today, I will share perspectives for choosing salt that you can truly be satisfied with, without being swayed by atmosphere.

Labels like 'Natural Salt' cannot be used

It is surprisingly little known, but the terms 'natural salt' or 'pure salt' cannot be used on salt packaging.

Under the 'Fair Competition Code for Edible Salt,' an industry rule fully enforced in 2010, labels such as 'natural salt,' 'pure salt,' and 'rich in minerals' were prohibited.

This is because these words have no clear definition, and only the image took on a life of its own, leading to a series of consumer misunderstandings and complaints.

In other words, we consumers are required to have the discernment to choose without relying on the word 'natural'.

Look at the label on the back and the manufacturing method, not the atmosphere of the package.

Once you can do this, choosing salt becomes suddenly interesting.

From here on, I will introduce five points I look at when choosing salt.

1. The ingredient list should be simple

First, turn it over and look at the ingredient name.

'Seawater' only. This is the ideal.

On the other hand, some commercially available free-flowing salts have anti-caking agents (such as magnesium carbonate) added to prevent clumping.

Although it is a convenience for ease of use, my philosophy is 'what goes into my mouth should be as unprocessed as possible,' so I choose products where the only ingredient is seawater.

Whether or not unnecessary things are included is not about image; the ingredient list tells you everything.

2. Look at the manufacturing method—this is where the maker's philosophy appears

Salt packaging has a section called 'Process,' which describes how that salt was made.

Once you can read this, your level of salt selection goes up a notch.

▶︎Sun-dried:A method of concentrating and crystallizing seawater using only the power of the sun and wind in salt fields. Because it takes time and effort, production volume is low and it is precious.

▶︎Flat kettle:A traditional method of slowly boiling down in an open kettle. The crystals grow to be fluffy and large.

▶︎Ion-exchange membrane:An industrial method of efficiently extracting sodium chloride from seawater. It is suitable for mass production.

Salt labeled 'sun-dried' or 'flat kettle' is proof of a traditional, labor-intensive production method.

Look at how it was made, not what words it is decorated with.

I believe this is the most honest way to choose.

3. Salt containing bittern has depth of flavor

Salt made slowly from seawater retains a good amount of bittern components (such as magnesium and potassium).

Salt with a high bittern content is not just salty. It has a complex, mellow taste that layers sweetness, a faint bitterness, and umami.

Rice balls, boiled eggs, grilled fish, tempura dipping salt—if you eat in a way that tastes the salt itself, you will clearly understand the difference.

Please try comparing it with your usual salt at least once. You will be surprised at how different salt can taste.

4. 'Salt Equivalent' is the Answer Key to the Production Method

Another interesting thing to check on the back of the package is the 'salt equivalent' listed in the nutritional information.

This number is actually calculated from the amount of sodium.

Salt is composed mainly of sodium chloride and other minerals (magnesium, potassium, calcium, etc.).

Therefore, the higher the salt equivalent per 100g, the higher the purity of sodium chloride, and the lower it is, the more minerals other than sodium it contains.

For example, industrially refined salt can have a salt equivalent as high as 99g per 100g.

This means it is almost pure sodium chloride.

On the other hand, salt made slowly from seawater that retains its nigari (bittern) components will have a slightly lower number.

The 'depth of flavor' I mentioned in the previous point is subtly reflected in this number.

And this is the most important thing I want to convey today.

The salt equivalent tells you things that the raw materials and production method labels alone cannot.

This is because even if the raw material is listed as 100% seawater and the process as sun-dried, depending on how it is concentrated or crystallized, the nigari components may separate, resulting in salt that is low in minerals (i.e., high in salt equivalent).

'Seawater only' and 'sun-dried' labels only indicate the method of production.

The result—what kind of components the finished product actually contains—is reflected in the salt equivalent number.

Therefore, I recommend checking these three things as a set: whether the raw material is only seawater, whether the process is sun-dried or flat-pan, and what the salt equivalent is.

I recommend looking at these three things as a set.

Verify the production method with the words on the label, and use the numbers to check your understanding.

By using this two-pronged approach, you will be able to spot discrepancies between the image and the actual contents.

The salt equivalent number is a window into how that salt was made.

If you look at it that way, I think you will find reading the back of the package much more interesting.

5. Seeing the Origin and the Face of the Producer

There are many such salts all over Japan—salts made by small salt producers using local seawater over a long period of time.

Crystallizing local seawater on-site using traditional methods.

Choosing this kind of salt not only enriches your own dining table but also helps preserve the culture of artisanal salt making.

I believe that a natural lifestyle includes this sense of 'supporting through choosing.'

Choosing by Raw Materials and Production Method Leads You to This Kind of Salt

From here on, I will list specific product names that fit the selection criteria I have discussed so far (raw material is only seawater, and the process is sun-dried or flat-pan), but these are not recommendations or rankings.

There is one thing I would like to tell you first.

When looking for salt, you will encounter many products that claim to be 'good for your health' or 'rich in minerals.' However, in this article's selection method, those words are not included as criteria for judgment.

All I am looking at is whether the raw material is only seawater and whether the process is sun-dried or flat-pan. Just these two things.

✔︎Uminosei Arashio (Uminosei)

Ingredients: Seawater (from Izu Oshima)
Process: Sun-dried/Flat-pan. 100% seawater from Izu Oshima
Salt equivalent: 86.36g per 100g

Concentrated by the sun using a net-flow salt field, then crystallized in a steam-heated flat pan.

A moist type containing a balanced amount of bittern, it can be used for a wide range of purposes, from rice balls and pickles to making miso.

✔︎Aguni no Shio Kamadaki (Okinawa Sea Salt Research Institute)

Ingredients: Seawater (Aguni Island, Okinawa)
Process: Sun-dried/Flat-pan
Salt equivalent: 73.4g per 100g

15,000 bamboo stalks are hung in a 10-meter-high tower, where seawater is circulated and concentrated by the sun. It is then boiled for 30 hours in a wood-fired flat pan, followed by two weeks of dehydration and drying.

With a salt equivalent as low as 73.4g, this is a product where the high remaining bittern content is clearly reflected in the numbers.

✔︎Guérande Salt (Brittany, France)

Ingredients: Seawater (Guérande, France)
Process: Sun-dried
Salt equivalent: 87.9g per 100g

A so-called 'fully sun-dried salt' where both concentration and crystallization are performed solely by the sun.

Using a method passed down for over 1,000 years, salt artisans (paludiers) harvest it by hand. It is certified under the EU's Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), meaning its origin and production method are protected by regulation.

✔︎Can Hoa Salt Stone-Ground (Can Hoa Salt)

Ingredients: Seawater (Can Hoa, Vietnam)
Process: Sun-dried
Salt equivalent: 85.82g per 100g

Salt produced in dedicated salt fields in Can Hoa, Vietnam, finished entirely by the sun from seawater to crystal. It is not artificially heated and is allowed to crystallize slowly over 2 to 3 months.

This 'Stone-Ground' version is made by grinding large crystals with a stone mill, making it a type that dissolves easily and is convenient to use.

Note that the salt equivalent values listed here are approximate.

Salt made from natural seawater changes in composition depending on the season, the state of the seawater, and the weather of the day. That is why even the same product can have a range of values depending on when it was produced. The fact that it is not uniform is proof that it is made according to the rhythms of nature.

Since raw materials and standards can also change, always check the label on the actual product when purchasing.

Summary | Choosing salt is the perfect practice for 'learning to read labels'

⚫︎ The terms 'natural salt' and 'pure salt' cannot actually be used on labels. Let's develop an eye that doesn't rely on the image of words.

⚫︎ What to look for on the back: Ingredients (is it just seawater?) and the process (sun-dried or flat-pan boiled?).

⚫︎ Salt containing nigari (bittern) has depth of flavor. Start by comparing different types.

⚫︎ The salt equivalent value is a number that serves as a check for the manufacturing process label.
Even with 100% seawater and sun-drying, the numbers can fluctuate.

⚫︎ Choosing salt where you can see the origin and the maker also helps preserve salt-making culture.

Salt is something we use every day, yet each item is inexpensive. That is precisely why it is the best ingredient to use as a practice tool for reading and choosing based on labels.

Once you can read the back of a salt package, you will naturally be able to read the labels for miso, soy sauce, and other seasonings as well.

Start by turning over the salt in your kitchen today.

What is written there is more honest than any advertisement.

※ This article does not guarantee the efficacy of any specific salt. The ideas regarding taste and manufacturing methods are the author's personal views.

※ As an Amazon Associate, Haru earns income from qualifying purchases.

【About the author of this article👇】

・5 years of additive-free living

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