Latin word for health salus is salt (shawl). In the West, salt was originally thought to maintain and improve health. A salad that is very popular at Japanese dining tables (salad) also comes from salt.
However, in modern Japan, on the contrary, the salt-reduction movement is gaining momentum, with the idea that people should eat less salt for good health. In addition to miso, soy sauce, dashi, and curry roux that claim to be low in salt, there are also plums with zero salt and health salts with half the salt.
However, ``salt-free'' ume is a ``umeboshi-style food'' and cannot be labeled as ``umeboshi'' because it is not made using traditional methods, so it is labeled this way. Furthermore, although ``healthy salt'' contains less salt, it does contain potassium chloride, and the label says in small letters, ``If you have kidney disease or are undergoing dietary treatment, please consult your doctor before use.'' be made explicit and require attention. Also, even if you think that salt made using traditional salt production methods has more minerals, you may find that salt made with an ion exchange membrane removes harmful substances such as PCBs and heavy metals. '', you can't help but think, ``Huh?''.
Before you ask for a quick answer, "Which one is correct?" Why not start by learning more about salt?
However, the world of salt is very deep, and even when asked which salt is the best among the various salts available in the world, even experts differ in their opinions.
Now that the monopoly system has been abolished and anyone can freely make and sell salt, a wide variety of salts are now on the market. Each type of salt has its own characteristics, and it is often possible to use different types of salt depending on the dish and how it is used.
In this special feature, we will focus on salt that is familiar but not well known, and based on trivia knowledge, we will introduce Makito Terada, CEO of Umi no Sei Co., Ltd., which is famous for its natural sea salt "Umi no Sei." I would like to delve into the profound world of salt while providing some explanations.
A deep relationship with humansHistory of salt production in Japan
Salary (English word for salary)salary) is the Latin word for salt (shawl) As you know, it comes from. It is said that in the ancient Roman army, they were given salt in lieu of salary, meaning that salaried workers received salt instead of money. In this way, salt has not only had a deep relationship with us humans since ancient times, but is also one of the things that is absolutely essential for life. I once again looked into the relationship between people and salt.
The precious demon that was also currency
It has the power to drive away
Salt was extremely valuable in ancient Rome, and was also used in the trade of slaves, where slaves were exchanged for an amount of salt equal to their weight. It was said that you could buy a house with 100 kilograms of salt. Salt was also a currency.
Also, the Catholic Church's practice of putting salt on the tongue of new baptists is a remnant of the ritual of putting salt on the tongues of children in Roman times to impart wisdom.
In Greece and Rome, licking each other's salt before a meal meant strengthening one another's friendship.
In medieval England and France, salt was placed in the center of the table at banquets. The more important people were, the closer they were to seats, the more salt they could take freely.above the salt It means "upper seat". On the other hand, the lower and last seats below the salt .
The Bible'sThouThe proverb ``is the salt of the earth'' shows that salt was considered life itself.
In Arabia, salt was a symbol of trust, symbolized immortality and eternity, and was believed to have the power to ward off evil spirits.
Therefore, people hid salt in their clothes to protect themselves from magic and demons, and when they moved to a new home, they brought salt with them first.
The latter is reminiscent of the Japanese custom of placing salt on the doorstep for the purpose of bringing luck or purification.
create economic value
One of the causes of the French Revolution
In ancient Egypt, fish was eaten either by drying it in the sun or by salting it, and salted fish was an important trade item that was exported to foreign countries such as Syria.
The Roman Empire was so prosperous that it was said that "all roads lead to Rome," but the most popular road leading to Rome was the Salt Road (ViaSalaria).
Salt later became a valuable resource for monasteries, and salt became a major commodity in Venice, Italy.
In the Middle Ages, salted herring from the Baltic and North Seas became available. Rock salt was used.
It appears that a salt monopoly was already established in China in the 7th century BC. Later, a tax was imposed on salt, and in the same way, in France, there was a tax on salt.gabelle)” is said to be
Salt tax is now levied. In fact, there is a theory that this salt tax was one of the causes of the French Revolution.
In pre-revolutionary France, salt taxes were 20 times higher than the cost of salt, and there was a growing sense of unfairness as some areas were taxed and others were not taxed. In addition, salt smuggling became rampant.
The salt tax developed into a social problem, with a large number of people arrested for being involved in smuggling, and even led to a revolution.
12~14It is said that equal amounts of salt and gold were exchanged in the interior of West Africa in the 1950s, and historically, humans have been obsessed with salt to an extent that we modern people living in Japan cannot even imagine. Activities related to consumption have had a major impact on the economy and politics.
