The gold-salt trade in Africa made Ghana a powerful empire because they controlled the trade routes and taxed traders. Control of gold-salt trade routes helped Ghana, Mali, and Songhai to become large and powerful West African kingdoms.

In the first half of the 15th century, the Tuareg tribes took control of the city for a short period until the expanding Songhai Empire absorbed the city in 1468. A Moroccan army defeated the Songhai in 1591 and made Timbuktu, rather than Gao, their capital….Timbuktu.

Timbuktu

China

Compass Minerals’ Goderich salt mine

In Roman times, and throughout the Middle Ages, salt was a valuable commodity, also referred to as “white gold.” This high demand for salt was due to its important use in preserving food, especially meat and fish. Being so valuable, soldiers in the Roman army were sometimes paid with salt instead of money.

One modius of salt, which is 8 liters of dry matter or in case of salt 16 kg of salt, costed 100 denarii. That would make 1 ton of salt 6250 denarii. A farm laborer, which was the most common job, earned roughly 25 denarii per day.

Most sea salts don’t offer any real health advantages. The minute amounts of trace minerals found in sea salt are easily obtained from other healthy foods. Sea salt also generally contains less iodine (added to prevent goiter) than table salt.

Use of salt substitutes containing potassium chloride is a potential strategy to reduce sodium intake, increase potassium intake, and thereby lower blood pressure and prevent the adverse consequences of high blood pressure.

Dietary Benefits Of Pink Himalayan Salt Controls high blood pressure as it is lower in sodium than table salt. Contrary to regular salt, pink Himalayan salt does not dehydrate you. In fact it aids with hydration as it helps maintaining fluid balance and blood pressure in your body.