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What Makes The Korean Bamboo Salt So Expensive

amboo salt, often referred to as Purple salt, has been ingrained in Korean culture to the point where Koreans swear by it. But why is this salt so expensive?

Think of paying about $100 (Rs 7348) for just 250 grams of salt. To most of us, this may appear to be a luxury event, but this is how the most expensive salt in the world is priced, and you will undoubtedly be shocked by its constantly increasing demand. Bamboo salt often referred to as Purple salt, has been ingrained in Korean culture to the point where Koreans swear by it. But why is this salt so expensive?

Bamboo salt has been a staple of Korean culinary culture for centuries and was utilised in traditional Korean remedies for its healing benefits, but what makes this salt so pricey and distinct from other salt varieties around the world?

Bamboo salt is made by putting sea salt within a bamboo casing and roasting it at a high temperature. The process of roasting the bamboo serves to reinforce the salt with the minerals found in bamboo; this infusion causes a change in colour after numerous roastings and transforms the salt into a solid rock-shaped salt that is broken, crushed, and packaged.

The labour-intensive procedure, which includes everything from packing sea salt into bamboo boxes to shattering and smashing rock solid salt, is what makes this salt so pricey. In fact, the premium purple salt is made by roasting it at high temperatures 9 times. From loading the bamboo barrels to melting it 9 times till the procedure is complete, the preparation of this salt takes roughly 40-45 days.

The baking or roasting of the bamboo barrels is done at a temperature of over 800 degrees Celsius, which burns the bamboo case leaving only a column of salt, and this is combined, and the final roasting process is the hottest at around 1,000 degrees Celsius, which is fired in a special kiln and operated by an expert. This converts the salt into a massive solid rock, which is then physically broken, crushed, and processed before being packaged. The fact that the entire process is done by hand is what makes this salt so expensive.

Bamboo salt is thought to help digestion, oral health, and skincare, and to have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer qualities. According to research, bamboo salt has a mineral-rich composition and is higher in iron, potassium, and calcium than conventional sea salt, which aids in the improvement of immunity and metabolism. Apart from the labour-intensive procedure and fortification of salt with bamboo minerals, it is claimed that the health advantages linked with this salt are one of the factors contributing to its high price.

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