Common salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride, a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in its natural form as a crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quantities in seawater. Salt is essential for life, and saltiness is one of the basic human tastes. One of the oldest and most ubiquitous of food seasonings, salting is an important method of food preservation. It is an essential nutrient and the amount of salt in the diet influences health. Depending on where the salt originates, it contains varying levels of minerals.
