The History of Salt

We all need salt to function, so animals evolved to seek it out. Lucky for us, the salty seas have left deposits of salt everywhere, if we can find them. Humans, however, sought salt so much that today our doctors tell us to lay off the salty snacks and put away the shaker because it can lead to high blood pressure. It wasn't always this way, because salt was not always so easy to get. the quest for salt as a commodity goes all the way back to the beginning of agriculture. Those who had it became rich selling it, although it wasn't easy- that's why working in the salt mines became a metaphor for backbreaking, unpleasant labor. Getting salt to those who had less became one of the reasons we developed global trade. This TED-Ed lesson brings us a short history of sale, but try to resist the urge to grab some chips while watching it.