About
As the Colorado River formed the Grand Canyon and continued south through Utah, Nevada, Arizona and California, tremendous amounts of mineral-rich topsoil were deposited into the river delta area at the northern end of the Sea of Cortez. The estuary and lagoon where Baja Gold isharvested was formed over millions of years by sediment from the Colorado River and the strong tides in the Sea of Cortez.
Baja Gold is truly unique in the world of salt due to its natural lower salinity and incredible concentration of minerals and trace elements.
Air temperatures at the lagoon average between 110 – 125ªF (43 – 53ªC). Rainfall is rare. The heat and dry desert winds of the Baja quickly evaporate the water leaving a highly concentrated, dense, and heavier sea water. Once the salinity reaches a precise level of concentration, the seawater is moved into evaporation or crystallization ponds. What is left after the remaining water evaporates becomes Baja Gold Sea Salt.
Seawater from the Sea of Cortez contains 90 minerals and trace elements and over 50,000 natural organic compounds. Every mineral and trace element present in Sea of Cortez seawater is found in Baja Gold sea salt.
The tradition of creating sea salt from the Sea of Cortez was first mentioned in pre-Colombian history when its prized product was sent as tribute to the Aztec emperor. Thanks to salt-making traditions inherited and continually passed down through the generations, Baja Gold is produced by using time-tested salt-making methods.
Unlike other sea and table salt brands, Baja Gold is unprocessed and unrefined, harvested from a sea containing lower salinity than the oceans. International salt companies, like Cargill and Morton, wash their sea salt to create clean white salt. This process removes minerals and creates almost pure sodium chloride. International regulations require that a product labeled as “table salt” must contain a minimum of 97-99% sodium chloride. The sodium chloride contained in Baja Gold is considerably less at 72-75%, increasing the total mineral and trace element content.
Current health practitioners throughout the world are learning that natural Baja Gold Sea Salt contains many minerals and trace elements that are essential to human health but are lacking in other sea and rock salts. Chefs and culinary artists are discovering that minerals and trace elements contained in natural sea salt like Baja Gold bring a new dimension to their creations by increasing gastronomic value with its flavor and soft texture. It is the “Gold Standard” of sea salt arriving at your table unprocessed and unrefined.
Minerals such as magnesium, potassium, calcium and trace elements such as selenium, zinc, yttrium, and gold give Baja Gold its soft texture and tasty flavor.
Unrefined Baja Gold Kosher Sea Salt contains all minerals and trace elements known to exist in seawater, small amounts of magnesium and calcium halides and sulfates, salt-resistant beneficial micro-organisms and sediment particles. Calcium and magnesium salt compounds convey a faintly sharper overtone and cause unrefined sea salt to become hygroscopic (i.e. it gradually absorbs moisture from the air if stored uncovered). Algal products contribute a mild “sea-air” scent. Sediments provide additional minerals and trace element compounds and give Baja Gold an off-white or slightly beige appearance. The taste and aroma of these compounds, even in minute concentrations, are often detectable by humans.
Depending upon the source, natural sea salts have different mineralities producing many various flavors. Baja Gold Sea Salt from the waters of the Sea of Cortez has the greatest mineral content of all sea salts due to its source and unique way it is created. When sprinkled on food, Baja Gold exhibits a more complex flavor than many other common sea and earth salts, many of which are essentially processed sodium chloride. Baja Gold’s distinct flavor is due to its naturally low sodium and high minerals and trace elements content.