Worth His Salt

Ayurveda maintains that consumption of salt aggravates the element of fire in one’s constitution hence it is best avoided by persons with excessive energy accumulation in the body. In fact, according to this ancient science, fire and water constitute the salty taste. But fire is predominant, and powers its heating digestive effect. One interesting thing is that Ayurveda recognizes its water retaining as well as weight loss qualities. It also states that the long term effect of salt is actually Sweet!!!

The effect of salty taste over the human mind and body is also chronicled very carefully in Ayurveda. It says that while a small amount of salt may lead to an individual becoming outspoken and grounded, excessive use of salt can produce quite to the contrary results. In some people, it can induce the attitudes of rigidity in outlook while in some others it can induce immediate need for sensual gratification, something we could understand as addiction. That’s the secret behind the popular "No one can eat just one" ditty….and explains the urge to continually dip into the bag for more salted peanuts or wafers. However, Ayurveda also maintains that "Salt brings out the deliciousness of the food".

As a part of the diet, it is very good in small quantities, to stimulate adrenals and enhance digestive powers. But large quantities can play havoc with our internal plumbing, and lead to a waterlogged system, inducing swelling in the lower body, bloating and of course, HUGE kidney trouble.

The Japanese diet is the best example of this. Japanese food is very salt rich, largely due to the consumption of sea products in their traditional cuisine. So, though, as a nation they have a very low rate of cancer, they suffer from a very high rate of stomach cancer because of salt irritation in the stomach.

In olden, pre-refrigeration days, it was one of the best preservatives known to man, and that is he reason why most traditional foods have far too much salt, than what our body needs. Today, even though we are looking at ways to reduce salt consumption in our diet (CUT those wafers), salt still does ground the dishes we relish, and also ensures we have energy as well as strength.

The salt we normally use is ‘manufactured’ from seawater, and hence is actually sea salt. Then there is rock salt or black salt, which is better for the digestion as well as has better flavor. Kosher salt is closer to rock salt; indeed, the kosher salt sold in supermarkets can actually be used as a substitute to rock salt.

On a more general scale, salt seems to be having the power to aggravate fire wherever it goes…starting religions, religious diktats and even cuisine systems, the best example of which is the kosher cuisine system of the Jews.

In other parts of the world that have seen ancient civilizations, cultures and cuisine too, salt has played an extremely important role. The best example for this would be the fact that the words, 'war' and 'peace' originate from the word for salt & bread in Ancient Hebrew and Arabic. We can safely believe that mankind’s first full fledged squabble of any consequence (OK, lets call it war), originated over control of salt or slat supplies!!!!

As a preservative, the use of salt can be traced all the way to prehistory, when mankind had learnt to preserve fruits, vegetables and even meat and fish in salt. Grains and cereals were dehydrated or parched and then kept for long periods. Mankind learnt the use of salt very early on!!!

By way of pre-historic way of life, the salt obtained from red static salt brine was red and very much alike the dried blood of the animals that man hunted back then. It came to be associated with mysterious powerful magic and its abilities of dehydrating and preserving meat became legendary. In time this became a ritual in itself, giving rise to later religious and social indications.

The rituals of curing and preserving meat were associated with a healthy diet, in accordance with natural laws, to fulfill both the dietary as well as the psychological needs of man. Kosher, in time, became one of the identifying factors of the Jewish way of life. The hygienic way of keeping meat over long periods to allow gradual consumption and distribution of the food was one of the factors of sociological bonding too, hence the psychological need. In fact these practices of drying, smoking, fermenting and curing with salt of foods were almost quasi-ritual, deeply embedded in most ancient religious systems. In most they have survived as they were, as in the kosher guiding law and even some ancient Vedic rituals.

In time salt became a symbol of all things scared to a good life, it signified incorruptibility, it measured wages, it was used to indicate morals like gratitude and loyalty..and time only added to this mystique.

This ability of salt to preserve meat must have given the ancients the idea of mummification and ancient Egyptians would bury a dead person in `natrium" - salt baths, for 70 days. The body would be completely dehydrated and much easier to handle and preserve for posterity (or till tomb raiders ripped it up).

Almost every religion of the world has a significant role for salt in its rituals. The Old Testament talks about it being used as a cleanser for well waters by Prophet Eliseus. Ancient Orientals used it for cleansing the skins of newborn babies and protecting them from infection, in some cultures salt even has exorcist significance, in many parts of the world it is used to ward off the evil eye. Roman rite of the Church uses salt for liturgical purposes, as the baptismal salt and the blessed salt.

Religion, cuisine or food as medicine, salt has been playing an extremely important part in the human civilization for maybe thousands of years now and from the looks of it, will continue to do so as long as man lives.