eli5: If vitamins are things considered essential to human life, why is salt not considered a vitamin?

Question

Salt isn’t regularly considered a spice, nor is it discussed as a vitamin like A, B, etc. But isn’t it necessary in small amounts for humans?

In: 402

Answer 1

salt is categorised as a mineral – minerals are equally essential for life but are chemically different

minerals are much simpler and you can find them on the periodic table as they are just basic elements (sodium, calcium, chloride, etc.)

vitamins are very complex compounds based on structures of carbon and hydrogen atoms (you can look at their chemical structures on google)

great question!