Sea salt is a staple in many kitchens, an item we reach for without second thought. But have you ever wondered how sea salt is made, where it comes from, or what makes it unique compared to other salts?
Whether you’re using it to season your dinner, clean your chopping board or preserve food naturally, sea salt is an all-rounder. Let’s unpack its journey from ocean to table, the differences with other salts, and the many ways it’s used.
Key Insights
- Sea salt comes from evaporated seawater, keeping trace minerals like magnesium, calcium, and potassium for a more complex flavour and texture.
- The process involves seawater being collected in shallow ponds, naturally evaporated by sun and wind, then harvested, lightly rinsed, graded, dried, and packaged.
- Sea salt is less processed than table salt, retains minerals, has a coarser texture, and has no additives.
- It can be used in cooking, food preservation, skincare scrubs, muscle-soothing baths, and natural cleaning.
The Basics: What is Sea Salt?
Like its name suggests, sea salt is salt that comes from the ocean. It’s made by collecting seawater and letting the sun and wind do the rest, gradually evaporating the water and leaving behind salty crystals. Unlike table salt, it’s typically natural, unrefined, and mineral-rich, retaining trace amounts of magnesium, calcium, and potassium. These give it a more complex flavour and texture depending on where it’s made.
So, what is sea salt used for? Its coarse flakes and clean, crisp flavour make it a go-to in cooking for seasoning meats, adding crunch, or finishing dishes. It’s also commonly added to skincare routines, baths, and natural cleaning products for its exfoliating and purifying qualities.
In Australia, natural, unrefined sea salt is especially prized for its purity and the sustainable way it’s produced, which makes the most of our sunny climate and coastline.
Where Does Sea Salt Come From?
Sea salt comes from seawater, harvested from coastlines, bays, and estuaries with clean, mineral-rich waters. Once collected, the water is transferred to evaporation ponds for controlled moisture levels and quality preservation.
So, where does sea salt come from globally? You’ll find well-known sea salts, such as Celtic, Tavira, and Maldon sea salts from France, Portugal, and the UK, respectively. Each region offers its own mineral profile and texture.
Australia is set to be among the world’s third-largest producers of salt, with operations yielding over 5.3 million tonnes annually in Western Australia. Plus, with solar and wind-powered evaporation, Australian sea salt is one of the most naturally sustainable seasonings available.
The Step-by-Step Production Process
Most sea salt is made using solar evaporation, a sustainable and low-impact method that relies on nothing more than sunshine, wind, and time.
Seawater Collection & Pond Filling
It all starts with pulling clean seawater into shallow holding ponds, also known as salt pans, with intake pumps. These ponds are usually located near the coast, designed to keep the water still and expose it to sunlight.
Natural Evaporation & Brine Concentration
Water evaporates over time, leaving behind a concentrated brine. Salt content increases deeper into the process, usually taking several days to weeks, depending on the weather and humidity.
Salt Crystallisation & Harvesting
Once the salinity reaches a certain level, salt crystals begin to form and are collected in specialised crystaliser ponds. The shape, size, and coarseness of the salt depend on the depth of the pond and the rate of evaporation. Harvesting is done either by hand or using light machinery, with care taken to preserve the crystal shape.
Rinsing, Grading, & Packaging
After harvest, the sea salt is rinsed lightly to remove excess debris while keeping its natural mineral profile. From there, it’s graded by texture, dried, and packaged.
Sea Salt vs Other Salts: What’s the Difference?
While sea salt, table salt, and rock salt all contain sodium chloride, their origins, textures, and processing levels vary. One teaspoon of sea salt contains roughly 2,000mg of sodium, while table salt contains about 2,360mg and 2,300mg for rock salt. This is because sea salt flakes don’t pack as tightly.
Here’s a quick breakdown:
Sea salt is often praised for its flavour and texture. Unlike table salt, it contains no anti-caking agents and no added iodine. On the other hand, table salt is useful in baking due to its fine grind and precise measurement.
Curious how pink rock salt compares? Discover more in our Himalayan salt vs table salt guide.
The Uses of Sea Salt
Sea salt has long been valued for its versatility. You can use it to:
- Flavour & Finish Dishes: It enhances sweetness, balances bitterness, and adds crunch.
- Preserve Food: Cure meats, ferment vegetables, or use smoked salt to add depth and richness.
- Create Homemade Body Scrubs: Used to gently exfoliate and detoxify skin.
- Soothe Sore Muscles: Added in baths to ease aches. Learn about sport recovery salt here.
- Cleaning: Works as a gentle abrasive and absorbs odour from cutting boards, sinks, and containers.
Want to explore different options? You might also like to learn about kosher salt, another popular type used for its purity and performance in pickling and seasoning.
From the Ocean to Your Kitchen
Sea salt is a humble ingredient that brings a bit of the coast into your everyday routine.
And now that you know how sea salt is made, why not explore our full range of natural, affordable sea salts? At Organics on a Budget, we stock mineral-rich, unrefined, and sustainably sourced salts and other wellness staples you can feel good about using.