What is salt made of?

Salt is a mineral that is composed of sodium and chloride and has a chemical equation of NaCl. The mineral is essential to both humans and animals.

Salt is used in the human diet as a food seasoning and as a preservative. The human body cannot survive without salt, and a small amount must be incorporated into the diet on a daily basis. The human body uses salt to trigger key enzymes that help break down food and absorb nutrients in the digestive tract. The presence of both sodium and chloride in the digestive tract allow the digestive tract to work properly.