Why was salt so important 100 years ago?

Question

I've learned that salt was once used as salary and regarded as important as gold? What did salt do that was so benificial to people beside us needing it to live and the low amounts of it they may have had?

Answer 1

Salt was used to preserve meats. They didn't have refrigerators or anything like that, so salt was very valuable.

Answer 2

Why Was Salt So Important

Answer 3

Salt was used as a preservative as refirgeration was not widely available yet. And the original refrigerators were truly "ice boxes." Basically, it was an insulated wooden box where a large block of ice was put in the top compartment of said box and that kept everything else cold, more or less. Yes, this is a very rudamentary explanation of an old fashioned "ice box" but you get the idea.

Answer 4

It was used as a preservative for food and after foods were cured with salt the could be stored for quite some time.

Answer 5

Salt was also used in wedding ceremonies to purify the bride. It would be sprinkled in her her and on her shoes. Salt was sprinkled in the blanket of a newborn, as well. It was believed that it warded off evil spirits. The battle over salt mining rights was one of the reasons for the Civil War. John Wilkes Booth (Killed President Lincoln) had a bag of salt that he threw on the president after shooting him.

Answer 6

Actually, the importance of salt began to decline 100 years ago. Prior to that wars and battles were fought over it. It was used as currency. It had heretofore been regarded as rare. Now it is plentiful and its value has been decreased by its abundance. But in the old, old, old, old days, it was big stuff.

Answer 7

cuz for a time it was the only spice in the world ( longer ago then 100 years) but more recentlyu it was to preserve foods

Answer 8

I think that salt preserved everything from bodies, to food (meat).

Answer 9

It was used to preserve meat, especially fish. Otherwise all they would not be able to preserve meet.

Answer 10

if you complete eliminate salt from your diet you will die.your body can not function with out it.