Pink Himalayan salt is a pink-colored salt mined near Pakistan's Himalayas. Many individuals think it's mineral-rich and beneficial to their health. Pink Himalayan salt is frequently regarded to be healthier than conventional table salt because of these factors. However, there is little study on pink Himalayan salt, and some argue that these health claims are just that: conjecture. This article examines the major distinctions between pink Himalayan salt and ordinary salt, as well as the research, in order to determine which is the healthier option.
What Is Salt ?
Salt is a mineral that is mostly made up of the sodium chloride molecule. Most people use the terms "salt" and "sodium" interchangeably because salt contains so much sodium chloride (about 98 percent by weight). Evaporating salt water or extracting solid salt from underground salt mines are both methods for producing salt. Table salt is refined to eliminate contaminants and any minerals other than sodium chloride before reaching your grocery store. Anticaking agents and iodine are frequently added to assist customers avoid iodine shortage. For thousands of years, people have used salt to season and preserve food. Sodium is also vital for fluid homeostasis, nerve transmission, and muscular contraction, to name a few biological processes. As a result, salt, or sodium, is an essential component of your diet. Many health experts, however, believe that too much salt causes high blood pressure and heart disease, despite new data contradicting this long-held notion. Because of the risks of eating too much table salt, many individuals have switched to pink Himalayan salt, thinking it to be a better option.
What is Pink Salt ?
Pink Himalayan salt comes from the Khewra Salt Mine in Pakistan, which is located near the Himalayas. One of the oldest and largest salt mines in the world is the Khewra Salt Mine. This mine's pink Himalayan salt is said to have developed millions of years ago when vast quantities of water evaporated. The salt is hand-extracted and lightly processed, resulting in an unprocessed, additive-free product that is considered to be far more natural than table salt. Sodium chloride makes up the majority of pink Himalayan salt, much like table salt. Pink Himalayan salt, on the other hand, has a variety of minerals and trace elements not present in conventional table salt due to the natural harvesting method.
Pink Salt Contains More Minerals!
Although both table salt and pink Himalayan salt are mostly sodium chloride, pink Himalayan salt contains up to 84 additional minerals and trace elements. Minerals like potassium and calcium, as well as lesser-known minerals like strontium and molybdenum, are among them. The mineral composition of several types of salts, including pink Himalayan salt and normal table salt, was investigated in one research. Although table salt has a higher sodium content, pink Himalayan salt has a higher calcium, potassium, magnesium, and iron content. The levels of these minerals in pink Himalayan salt, however, are quite modest. They are present in such minute amounts that the required daily dose of potassium would require 3.7 pounds (1.7 kg) of pink Himalayan salt, for example. Needless to say, that's a very high salt intake. The additional minerals in pink Himalayan salt are generally present in such little quantities that they are unlikely to provide you with any health advantages.
Summary
Given all of the false health claims, it's understandable that some individuals are unsure which salt to use. However, no research has compared the health benefits of pink Himalayan salt to normal table salt. It's doubtful that they'd notice any differences if they did. Pink Himalayan salt, on the other hand, is a terrific natural alternative to conventional table salt if you want to avoid the additives. However, you should not anticipate the huge health advantages that you may have read about on the internet. Remember that table salt is a primary source of iodine in the diet, so if you're using pink Himalayan salt, you'll need to supplement with iodine from other sources such as seaweed, dairy products, and seafood to avoid iodine shortage.
