Table salt

Name Variations

 * cooking salt
 * granular salt

About table salt
Wikipedia Article About Table salt on Wikipedia

Edible salt, also called table salt or just salt, is a mineral, one of a very few rocks (such as calcium) commonly eaten by humans. There are different forms of edible salt: unrefined salt, refined salt, table salt or iodised salt. It is a crystalline solid, white, pale pink or light grey in colour, obtained from sea water or from rock deposits. Sea salt comes in fine or larger crystals. In nature, it includes not only sodium chloride, but also other vital trace minerals. Edible rock salts may be slightly greyish in colour due to this mineral content.

Salt is necessary for the survival of all living creatures, including humans. Salt is involved in regulating the water content (fluid balance) of the body. Salt flavour is one of the basic tastes. Salt cravings may or must be caused by trace mineral deficiencies, as well as by a deficiency of sodium chloride itself.