Features of blue salt, characteristics, chemical composition. useful and harmful effects on the body, use in culinary recipes. Interesting about the product.
Blue salt is a very rare type of natural rock salt that is found only in the salt mines of the Semnan province of Iran. The second name is Persian. The mineral owes its rare sapphire shade to the special conditions of occurrence. Due to the high pressure, the crystal lattice of the structural compound of calcium chloride with sodium chloride was distorted, due to which the substance acquired special properties - a blue tint and a special lemon taste with a spicy sweetish tint. It is produced in several types: finely ground, mixed and coarse with individual particles that resemble clearly outlined crystals. Despite the high price, the function of a unique product is to add a special flavor to the dish, improve its taste.
How is Persian blue salt obtained?
Crystals of the mineral seem to be something special - they shimmer under the light, like shards of sapphire. No wonder the second name of the food is indigo salt or Persian blue. The perception of the dishes in which it was added is also interesting. First, a tingling sensation appears on the palate, and only then additional sensations arise - a shade of mint, lemon, cardamom.
Blue crystals formed 540 million years ago, in the seas of the Precambrian period. Then, herds of dinosaurs walked on the Earth, and the smallest organisms floated in the clear waters of the world's oceans, which were deposited in the layers where the Persian blue salt was formed.
Interestingly, the usual combination of sodium and potassium chlorides produces a pink or orange color. But during the formation of the mountains of Iran, high pressure caused the crystal lattice of minerals to be so distorted that in the light they acquire a rare blue tint.
Only a few tons of blue salt are brought to the surface per year. This is due to the peculiarity of the occurrence. Common rock salt forms thick layers. Passages are laid in the ground, as in the extraction of coal. The mineral is beaten off the walls, forming adits, and then by trolleys or with the help of modern equipment, elevator shafts or a conveyor, it is lifted to factories equipped with a cleaning line.
But blue crystals are in very thin layers - 4-8 cm, surrounded by gray rock salt or minerals of a different structure. The required areas are removed, then separated, and only then delivered to special treatments for cleaning. Drying is not carried out, the moisture content of the formation is less than 3%. Consumers receive a product with an impurity content of no more than 2-3%. Interestingly, in pre-sale preparation, freezing under vacuum is used instead of heat treatment.
Persian blue has to be crushed at home. Manufacturers prefer to supply large crystals to avoid waste.
You can buy blue salt via the Internet; it does not go to stores in the post-Soviet space. The cost in Ukraine is 60-100 hryvnia per 100 g, in Russia - 120-200 rubles for the same amount. Packing - glass jars with a screw cap, more reminiscent of packaging for cream.
When ordering a product, there is a high chance of getting a fake. It should be noted that "healing Iranian blue salt" is offered by Chinese sites. Maybe you shouldn't spend extra money on a product of unknown quality, but order blue salt for friends who have visited Iran? By the way, there it is sold in opaque bottles, the label of which is covered with Arabic script.
Composition and calorie content of Persian blue salt
Pictured is Persian blue salt
The peculiarity of the food mineral compound from the Semnan province is the presence of sylvinite, a mineral that belongs to potassium salts. It is he who changes the color of the crystals.
The calorie content of Persian blue salt is 0 kcal. However, all products of this type have exactly the same nutritional value
But it is appreciated not only for its original look and rich blue hue. The blue salt contains a high amount of mineral compounds - calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, sulfur, chlorine, iron, cobalt, manganese, zinc. There is another rare mineral - sylvinite, from the group of halites, completely soluble in water. It is believed to have a beneficial effect on the human body.
Useful properties of blue salt
The opinion that sodium chloride has only a negative effect on the human body is wrong. With its lack, the water-electrolyte balance is disturbed, the risk of dehydration at the cellular level increases, organic tissues lose elasticity, skin tone decreases, age-related changes accelerate, mental activity and impulse conduction are impaired. It is for these properties that the natural mineral is valued by mankind. But the benefits of Persian Blue Salt are not limited to maintaining the osmotic pressure of the blood at the same level.
The special composition and high amount of minerals helps to replenish the body's reserve
- Helps to strengthen the skeletal system.
- Stimulates the production of synovial fluid and improves movement in the articular joints.
- Prolongs youthfulness, helps to maintain skin elasticity.
- Stimulates the work of the salivary glands, shifting the acid-base balance in the oral cavity to the acidic side, prevents the development of caries and periodontal disease.
- It has an antimicrobial effect, suppresses putrefactive and fermentative processes in the small intestine.
The special properties of Persian salt, namely the presence of sylvinite, accelerate recovery in diseases of the respiratory organs that arise as complications of ARVI. In addition, unlike this type of flavor enhancer, the acidity does not increase, but decreases. The product does not have to be abandoned in case of exacerbation of diseases, the symptoms of which are ulceration of the mucous membrane of the esophagus, digestive tract and gastrointestinal tract organs.
Persian blue salt is suitable for preparing food for individuals recovering from debilitating diseases and operations, adhering to a vegetarian diet, and various religious positions. It belongs to the group of kosher and halal.
Residents of the province in which the mineral is mined appreciate it not only for its original taste, but also for its beneficial properties. It is used for gargling with throat diseases, applied to purulent wounds to disinfect and accelerate healing. The special benefits of blue salt for inhalation have been proven: the bronchial branches are cleared of mucus, breathing is restored, the frequency of bronchial asthma attacks decreases.
It is important that all the substances that are included in the Persian blue salt are preserved in full, since only ready-made dishes are salted with these valuable sapphire crystals. This helps to preserve the vitamin and mineral composition of the main products. The body receives not only tasty, but also healthy food.
Contraindications and harm of blue salt
With the abuse of Persian salt, an allergic reaction may develop due to its special composition and a negative effect. Blood thickens, arterial, intraocular and intracranial pressure rises. In people with a history of hypertension, hypertensive crises become more frequent.
Persian blue salt can cause harm due to the peculiarities of the composition. In addition, an overabundance in the diet can provoke the development of edema, especially with impaired urination.
You should not constantly introduce this product into the diet for urolithiasis and gallstone disease, arthritis, arthrosis and gout. High amounts of mineral salts can be deposited in the body in the form of calculi, causing a worsening of the condition.
