Salt Types Explained: Sea Salt, Kosher Salt, Himalayan Pink Salt

Tap a salt type to see its features.

Table Salt

The most common salt, refined to remove impurities and produce fine, uniform crystals — often iodized.

Sea Salt

Produced by evaporating seawater; richer in minerals and coarser in crystal size than table salt.

Kosher Salt

Large, flat crystals that are easy to pinch and sprinkle by hand, a favorite for cooking in Western kitchens.

Himalayan Pink Salt

A rock salt with a pink tint from its mineral content, including iron, believed to have formed from ancient seawater.

Fleur de Sel

A premium French salt hand-harvested by skimming only the thin layer of crystals that forms on the surface of salt ponds — used sparingly as a finishing salt.

Smoked Salt

Salt cured over wood smoke to give it a distinctive flavor, adding a smoky depth to meat dishes.

Crystal Size Changes How Salty Something Tastes

With the same amount of salt, coarser crystals dissolve more slowly and taste subtler, while finer crystals hit fast and strong. That's why chefs choose different salts depending on the purpose.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is sea salt healthier than table salt?

Sea salt has slightly more minerals, but the sodium content itself isn't meaningfully different between the two, so both require the same caution against overconsumption.

Why is fleur de sel so expensive?

It's harvested by hand, skimming only the thin crystal layer off the surface of salt ponds rather than by machine — a labor-intensive process that limits yield and drives up the price.