You "can live without gold but not without salt," writes selmelier Mark Bitterman in Salted, his treatise on the ubiquitous mineral. And it's true: Salt tamps down bitter flavors, makes sweet foods taste sweeter, and provides our bodies with vital electrolytes. But considering our oversalted national diet, Bitterman argues, it's time to rethink the seasoning—including its environmental impact. Add a pinch of eco-consciousness to your entrees by choosing these three sustainable palate-pleasers.

Seasonings come from all over the world, and it can be difficult to find ones that are sustainably produced. But Iowa-based SIMPLY ORGANIC treads as lightly as possible, dealing only with farmers who don't treat their crops with chemicals. Simply Organic traces all the ingredients in its All-Seasons Salt—sea salt, garlic, onion, paprika, celery seed, oregano, turmeric, and cane sugar—back to their source to ensure they're actually organic. Plus, the company donates some of its proceeds toward organic farming in other countries. Sprinkle the salt on your meals to add a warm, savory note with a hint of garlic. $5 for a 4.7-ounce jar, simplyorganic.com

In 2014, Emily Jane Freed created her first FARMER FREED blends by tossing salt and herbs into a bowl while at her day job at an organic vegetable farm in Santa Cruz, California. She soon began a whole line of concoctions, sourcing ingredients like Meyer lemons and chilies from local suppliers on California's Central Coast. Her process has stayed humble: She personally hand-mixes every batch. Dust popcorn or eggs with Freed's popular Everyday Herb Salt, a fragrant blend of parsley, sage, rosemary, and (yup) thyme. $10.50 for a 2.5-ounce jar, farmerfreed.com

Brigitte McBride begins her batches of EARTH & SEA SALTS with salt that's sun-dried and harvested off the French coast and is so minimally processed that it comes gray with minerals. "The minerals add a lot of flavor, and they're nutritious, too," McBride says. To get the spice into her Thai Chili Blend, she combines the salt with organic pepper from a local farmers' market, then infuses it with organic cilantro, garlic, and lime juice from the Pacific Northwest, where she's set up shop. Use the blend to kick up roasted vegetables or as a rub for steak and chicken. $10 for a 4-ounce jar, earthandseasalts.com