We all need Salt

A very precious item in survival preparation is salt.

Since the beginning of recorded time, salt has always
held great importance to humans, and it has nothing to do
with making food taste better.

Other than the obvious—the human body’s need for
ingestion of salt, the substance also has other
beneficial uses.

Salt, especially natural sea salt and mineral salts,
were once as valuable as gold.

Wars were fought over salt mines and other sources
in Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Roman soldiers were often paid in salt.

But they weren’t looking at the culinary benefits;
they were concerned more with their very survival.

In a survival situation, salt can save your life.

• Pastes, poultices and salt-water soaks have proven

curative powers because it fights infection and
promotes healing.

• It is a natural food preservative because if fights spoilage,

which will help stretch your fresh food harvests through
difficult times.

• The vitamins and minerals in natural salt provide

the extra nutrients and trace minerals (84 of them)
the body requires in order to function properly.

• And on a lesser note, most beauty aids are salt-based,

allowing you to keep your vanity intact, promoting
a good sense of well-being and increased self esteem.

Building your stockpile of salt.
The most important consideration is to shop smartly.

Since it is a natural preservative, salt will keep indefinitely.

However, you must ensure that you are getting good quality salt.

Whenever possible, purchase all natural clay salts, sea salts,
or other salts which have been organically collected.

When storing your salt stores, seal in tightly closed,
air-tight containers to reduce the possibility of
contamination and clumping, especially in
humid climates.

If you find your salt has hardened over time,
it can be easily broken apart with any clean,
hard utensil.

Extract what you need and seal the container
tightly once more.

The time and effort you put into finding and storing
quality salt will be worth it in the long run.

In a survival situation, dehydration can be a killer.

If a pre-mixed solution, such as power drinks containing
electrolytes is not available in an emergency situation,
we suggest the following for an easily mixed oral
rehydration solution: ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon
baking soda, 3 tablespoons sugar and 1 liter
of safe drinking water.

The measurements must be accurate, otherwise the solution
will be less effective and maybe even harmful.

Have the victim drink as much as possible at one time
so rehydration can be accomplished.

However, if the victim is vomiting, small amounts of
the solution should be given at frequent intervals.

So, as you make your preparations for future, unknown
events that could occur at any time, don’t forget the salt…
and lots of it.

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I am considering buying a product like this if the price is right and if I get mostly positive feedback from the folks here at monkey....
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Morton® White Crystal® Solar Salt
Link no longer works - admin
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I got 50 lbs of non iodized table salt for less than 20 at cash and carry.

 

Hmmm will have to check out the Cash & Carry in town when we go shopping next time...

 

I just bought 3 X 50 lb Guitos Sea Salt - Extra Fine.

The idea of the SF Bay is gross, but the whole ocean is bogus these days.

 

Does Giusto's salt have iodine?

"Table salt" has always been the easiest way to get iodine.

 

It's sea salt, so I assume it does.

According to Livestrong, the iodine in sea salt might not be enough to keep you from becoming deficient. Many other sources of iodine may be used with or as an alternative to sea salt or table salt. Healthy Theory lists fish, milk and potatoes among the top sources of iodine. Almonds and dark greens such as spinach are also listed as key sources of this mineral.

Read more: Does Sea Salt Have Iodine In It? | LIVESTRONG.COM
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Salt water has iodine in it; however how much is retained in the sea salt is another question..

Sea salt - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

Iodized Table salt is the only sure bet. Stock up for SHTF especially if you live inland. A goiter is nobody's friend....

 

How much salt should we have on hand? Salt is in most foods but in a survival summer time day water and salt may be all we get.

 

I'm with you on this one, gunny highway! A goiter is a horrible thing to have. But so very easily prevented .... we should all have Iodized Table salt on hand, forget the fancy stuff.

 

Takes a lot of salt to preserve a deer if you shoot it and don't want it to spoil - I say several hundred pounds wouldn't be out of the question in a WROL situation and long time self-dependence mode. Also it would really be a high stakes trade item since I feel very few people think about it the way it should be. Most take it for granted and yes there is tons in canned food but that stuff will eventually run out and then what ???

I don't think it is an item you can have too much of and it is relatively cheap when bought in bulk. Just as Col. Jeff Cooper described .22 rimfire ammo as "ballistic wampum " I feel salt is the food equivilent of it. Of course storing it long term is a trick onto itself and must be taken into account.

 

If you are preparing for the purpose of salting meats, table salt isn't necessary. Save that for the kitchen. There may be other (edible) rock salts available much more cheaply in bulk for the purpose of salting meats.

 

Some education about iodine:

Each day, adults need 120 to 150 micrograms of iodine. Pregnant and breastfeeding women need even more, at 175 and 200 micrograms respectively.

How do you get this iodine? Your stored salt will run out. It is not a question of if, it is really a matter of when.

Eat food that comes from the ocean. Seaweed, shellfish and deep-water fish like sea bass, cod and haddock have high content of iodine. Six ounces of fish from the ocean has 650 micrograms of iodine, which is much more than the daily recommendation. But don't let that worry you; it would take about 2,000 micrograms of iodine on a daily basis to possibly be toxic.

Consume plant foods that are high in iodine. Lima beans and soybeans are legumes that contain iodine. Sesame seeds and garlic are additional sources. Vegetables with iodine include summer squash and leafy greens like spinach, Swiss chard and turnip greens.

Research additional foods that might contain iodine. Plants grown in soil containing iodine can absorb the mineral, so have your soil tested to see if it has iodine in it. You can also find iodine in dairy products.

Far too frequently I observe that everyone is preparing like any event will last but weeks or months. You must prepare yourself and educate yourself as if any SHTF/TEOTWAWKI will last for generations.

Salt, even plain salt is far more vital than iodine. Salt is an electrolyte. Without salt your heart ceases functioning. Your muscles do not operate correctly. Your brain malfunctions. Nerve impulses rely on salt.

Stop thinking of just the basics, "I've got (x number) of years of preps".
Start thinking of generations, how to get salt and iodine when all of your pre-purchased, stored salt is gone.

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This statement is completely wrong, due to lack of correct details. With over 30 years of salt curing meat in various ways behind me, I can tell you unequivocally, you must use pure, non iodized table salt for salt pack curing meat. Iodized salt leaves a metallic and foul taste in salt pack cured meats. Many of the natural sea salts and rock mineral salts contain impurities that will be a hindrance and cause spoilage. Why - the salinity of the salt is so low because of these impurities that salt tolerant bacteria can get into the meat and then it is all over. The trick is to make the salt level so high that even salt tolerant bacterium are killed. No questions asked.

The only way to use rock/mineral salt or sea salt for meat preservation is using a brine solution made from the salt and then cool smoke drying or corning the meat.

 

For each 25 pounds of meat, you will need 4 cups of salt. After 4-6 weeks in a salt cure, rinse the outside, pat dry and cool smoke (no more than 100 degree smoke) 45-60 hours.

Agreed 100%

 

Neat! I wish I knew how to salt cure meat (for the curiosity and in case I ever needed to). Any recommendations on where to start for someone who's completely ignorant on the subject?

BTW -- how did you learn? Did someone else show you or did you research it and learn through trial-and-error?

Thanks in advance!

 

I started learning from my father who was taught by his father, who was taught...well you get the idea.

When I got seriously interested, I went to my great grandmother just 3 years before she died and asked her to teach me more. She was born in the late 1800s, and lived more than 2/3rds of her life without electricity, refrigeration, or indoor plumbing. She died when I was a young man, at the ripe old age of 98.

Just an FYI canning of food for preservation is a relatively new invention, about 220 years or so old. Additionally, canning relies on glass (breakable) jars, and canning lids and for low acid foods like meat, a pressure vessel. While I love to can and have put back tons of jars as well as extra parts and entire extra canning vessels, I feel the need to know how to preserve low acid foods without canning, and the reliance on a pressure canner.

A great place to start learning about salt curing meats or any kind of food preservation without canning or refrigeration, outside of having someone available to teach you, is of course books.

Back to Basics Farmers Cookbook has a section (not very large)
The Joy of Salting and Smoking Meat
Morton Salt Home Meat Curing
Putting Food By (this is a 30+ year running publication, covers everything from canning and freezing to food drying and salting).

It should also be noted that salt curing is not for just meats. Vegetables (not fruits) of many kinds (corn, string/wax/snap/green beans, dandelion and other greens, rutabagas, turnips, as well as cabbage).

Other preservation methods, such as lactic fermentation (really good pickles are made with lactic fermentation), use salt for a brine solution but are not strictly salt preservation.

 

Meat has been and can be cured with no salt. It is just a matter of drying the meat. The fat has to be cut off of it. Then slowly dried/smoked under 100 degrees. The smoke is to keep bugs off of the meat. This is not rocket science. You have to remmeber that this was done long before trade routes where established.

BWM

 

African tribes still dry meat without salting it to this day. There are food preservation methods that are literally thousands of years old, proven and very effective.

 

A most excellent extensive list of recipes and cures here. ALPHABETICAL LIST OF SAUSAGES
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This is not just sausages. They have meat cures for various whole meats; corned beef, all kinds of bacon, hams etc.