Since salt is an intrinsic part of our food, it is really important to choose a salt that is both full of nutrients and less harmful. Two of the most popular salts are regular salt and Himalayan pink salt.
Himalayan pink salt is a salt present in rock formations along the Himalayas. It is known that an ocean evaporated in that region and formed salt mines across the Himalayas. This salt has a striking pink color because of the presence of natural minerals. People believe that Himalayan Pink Salt Grinder is rich in minerals and can be used as a substitute for regular salt. Most of the Himalayan pink salt is extracted from Khewra Salt Mine near the Himalayas in Pakistan, around 350,000 tons in a single year.
Now the question rises which salt is better for your health. The information given below might help you find your answer.
Points in favor:
Contains plenty of Minerals:
Both the regular salt and Himalayan Pink Salt Grinder contain sodium chloride. But Himalayan Pink Salt has more than 80 other minerals that have their unique health benefits.
A study shows the number of minerals present per gram of regular salt and Himalayan pink salt.
A gram of regular salt has 0.4mg calcium where the same amount of Himalayan pink salt contains 1.6mg calcium. Similarly, one gram of Himalayan Pink salt contains 1.06 mg magnesium where regular salt contains only 0.0139 mg. It also contains more iron and sodium than regular salt.
It also contains some rare minerals like strontium, dysprosium, and molybdenum. This makes the Himalayan Pink salt better than the regular salt we use at the table. These minerals help to maintain the PH level of our body.
These minerals are very necessary for the human body as they are a longevity protectant and neuroprotectant and also they help in boosting the cardiovascular system and hormonal system.
Little presence of Iodine:
Though our body requires iodine, too much of it can over weigh the benefits and can cause you extra harm. Our regular salt contains more iodine than our body requires. Whereas Himalayan Pink Salt has very little iodine. If you can fulfill your body’s iodine requirement from any other sources then Himalayan Pink Salt can be the best substitute for regular salt in your food. It reduces the risk of goiter in your thyroid gland.
Lesser Additives:
Where the regular salts go through multiple refinery processes in the purification plants before they are ready to be consumed, many additives are added to them. Some of them are not natural and not good for your health.
But Himalayan pink salt grinder is present in nature in rock form which is basically the remains of a prehistoric ocean buried hundreds of feet below the ground. These salts can be used naturally without many refinements. That’s why it is more suitable for our body than regular salt. Also, anticking substances are being mixed with regular salts so that the grains don’t stick to each other. These are very harmful to the body.
Looks Tempting:
Because of its natural pink color, it looks more attractive on the table or the food. It can be used in restaurants to make their item look more delicious and luxurious. Little grains of Himalayan Pink salt look great on the plate.
Some of the other benefits that Himalayan Pink Salt Grinder offers are:
It lowers blood pressure, helps in digestion, and manages the body’s PH level. People believe that it helps in a good night’s sleep as well. And also helps in weight loss.
A study has shown that 90% of the regular salts contain microplastics whereas Himalayan pink salt contains no microplastics as it is completely natural.
Points Not In Favor:
Very less percentage of minerals:
Though Himalayan pink salt contains around 84 minerals, these minerals make only 2% of the salt and the rest 98% is made of sodium chloride. However, it is such a small percentage of salt that you’ll hardly notice any benefits whatsoever. Nutritionally there is very little or no difference between the two salts. So you’ll get more or less the same benefit without any real difference.
Too much Costly:
Himalayan Pink Salt Grinders are around 20 times costlier than regular salt. It can cost you nearly 10$ per kilo. When there is very little benefit of consuming Himalayan salt than regular salt, then I think it’s better to stick with the regular one unless you have some extra cash to burn or impress your spouse by cooking with this pink substance. Your choice.
Tastes the same:
Though it looks more tempting than regular salts because of its pinkish color, they taste quite similar. So they may look tasty but don’t make your dish any tastier.
There are some side effects of consuming regular salt. Since it is highly processed in the factories under high temperatures most of its natural minerals are gone. Then companies add artificial substances like anti-caking and other additives which are not good for health. The problems of consuming these salts for a long period are swelling, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and many more.
Final Thoughts:
Though Himalayan Pink Salt Grinders promises to improve so many health issues like lowering blood pressure, balancing PH, improving sleep conditions, and solving skin problems, there are very few proven studies that support these claims.
But since it’s natural with very little processing, Himalayan Pink Salt is easier for the body to digest with no side effects. But regular salts come with so many artificial substances that it becomes tough for our bodies to digest. And it eventually causes harm.
In terms of nutrition, they both act similarly as 99% of both these salts are pure sodium chloride with very little difference in taste. So unless you are not living luxuriously, regular salt will work just fine for you. There is no need to but you can switch to Himalayan salt.
But no matter how nutritious a salt is, there is a limit of intake. Doctors suggest that daily consumption of salt should not be more than 3-5 grams.
Additional Information:
Here are some ways Himalayan Pink Salt can be used
To maintain the PH level in your body, mix 1 teaspoon of Himalayan Pink salt grinder sole in a glass of water and consume it every morning.
Adding Himalayan salt to bath water can help the skin to rejuvenate and detoxify.
Using Himalayan pink salt in cooking can also help in controlling sugar levels in the body.
To improve digestion, mix one teaspoon of Himalayan salt in lukewarm water and add one lemon. Consume it in the morning.
People also claim that Himalayan Pink Salt also has a healing power when they have used a lamp or inhaled. But all these claims don’t have a firm scientific base.
