Sodium bicarbonate may be replaced with potassium bicarbonate or calcium bicarbonate.
Salty flavor may be imparted via absorption during initial cooking – hence the salt added to water for boiling pasta or potatoes or to the grains at the beginning of making risotto – or as a topping or finish at the end of cooking. Salt is the first flavor on the palate.
Sea salt obtained through evaporation without additional processing retains trace minerals such as magnesium, potassium, and calcium. A salt industry executive states that this sea salt has fuller flavor and thus a smaller amount can be used.
Table salt and processed sea salts contain about 40% sodium by weight. The American Heart Association states that evaporated sea salt has less less sodium by volume due to its larger crystal size. [How do the sodium levels compare between the salt types by weight? To what extent do the trace minerals in the sea salt affect the sodium levels?]