5 Facts About Salt
How long will there still be salt?
Fortunately, salt is one of the few raw materials on our planet that will always be available in sufficient quantities in the future. The salt deposits underground alone will last for a very long time. If you consider that the amount of salt dissolved in the oceans is many times greater than the amount of rock salt and brine, you can actually say that people will never run out of salt.
Where does
salt get its name from?
Our German term “Salz” (salt) developed from the Latin word “Salarium”. This in turn derives from “Salus”, the name for the Roman deity of wisdom, who was responsible for general growth and prosperity. Roman officials and soldiers were given a ration of salt, called “salarium”, for their journeys. The connection to the term “salary”, which is rarely used today for wages or salaries, is obvious - even though salt has long since ceased to be a form of remuneration.
Why are tears salty?
Everyone knows it from their own experience: tears taste salty. In fact, without salt there would be no tears at all. But why? Tear fluid is produced in the lacrimal glands, which are located above the eye. In order to produce fluid, they need water from the surrounding tissue, and salt is needed to draw the water out of the tissue - which is why the lacrimal gland secretes salt. Not pure table salt, but a mixture of various electrolytes, including potassium.
What are the different types of salt?
Have you ever wondered what the difference is between table salt, cooking salt, and edible salt? The answer is simple: there is none. It's just a matter of terminology. However, within the category of edible salt, there are three different types: evaporated salt (obtained from brine), rock salt (mined from underground deposits), and sea salt (extracted from seawater). All three have the same chemical composition of sodium and chloride.
What is the significance of
salt in industry?
Salt plays an important role not only in nutrition, but also in industry and households. Whether in the steel industry, in dye works, for the production of soap and glass, or as regenerating salt for dishwashers – without salt, our lives would look very different in many ways. Not to forget de-icing salt, which ensures safety on the roads during winter.
