{"id":838,"date":"2013-02-18T08:42:45","date_gmt":"2013-02-18T08:42:45","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2015-04-30T00:31:03","modified_gmt":"2015-04-30T00:31:03","slug":"what-is-epsom-salt-is-it-really-a-salt-and-how-can-i-use-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pantryparatus.com\/articles\/what-is-epsom-salt-is-it-really-a-salt-and-how-can-i-use-it\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Epsom Salt, is it really a salt and how can I use it?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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So among the list of things that you should have on hand around the old homestead, does Epsom salt appear on your list anywhere? What is Epsom salt anyway—is it really even a salt? Technically no, and like other kitchen nomenclature such as “sour salts” (which is really an acid) it is not even a salt at all. <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n If you were to do an internet search for “use of Epsom salt” you are likely to come up with a host of uses; everything from beauty, to bathing, to gardening, to curing digestive maladies and even arts and crafts applications. What is in Epsom salt is what makes it truly useful. If it really were a salt, then why would you put it on your garden?<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Going by the handy name Magnesium Sulfate Heptahydrate (or MgSO4 + 7H2O) it does not fall under the chemical class of salts. Chemically speaking in the hustle and bustle of electron swapping, salts are ionic compounds that are produced when an acid and a base react together. Note that it is a sulfate<\/strong><\/em> not a sulfite<\/strong><\/a><\/em> which is different. And if that just is not nerdy enough for you, watch this video about the predictability of ionic compounds and the periodic table of elements:<\/span><\/p>\n
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