Himalayan Pink Salt – Top 5 Benefits

Salt is one of the most important ingredients in any food and without it the food loses its taste.

According to Wikipedia, It has been used by humans for thousands of years, from food preservation to seasoning.  Salt’s ability to preserve food made it possible to transport food over large distances and it could be called as a foundation to the development of civilization.

Salt mainly is obtained mainly from sea water and sodium chloride mineral halite (also known as rock salt).

On an industrial scale, it is produced by evaporating the salt water or by mining. Evaporation can be either solar evaporation or using some heating device.

In the second half of the 19^th century, industrial mining and new drilling techniques made the discovery of more and deeper deposits possible, increasing mine salt’s share of market.

Importance of Salt for the body:

Salt plays an important role in maintaining body’s health as it is the main source of sodium. Sodium helps in maintaining the fluid balance in the body along with muscle and nerve function.

How much salt do we need?

Anything in excess is not good for health . According to Medical News Today, too much sodium in the body has been linked to Kidney stones, high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases and hypertension .

 Too little sodium can lead to muscle twitches, seizures, confusion and dizziness.  

Sodium makes upto 40% of salt and for every 10 grams of salt we eat, 4g is sodium.

The American Health Association and the World Health Organization recommends not exceeding a daily sodium intake of 1.5g a day or just half a teaspoon of table salt.

What is Himalayan Salt and where does it come from?

There are around 12 varieties of salt and some of the most common ones are table salt, sea salt, rock salt and kosher salt.

With the millennials raving about Himalayan pink salt around the world, it is increasingly being used as a substitute for table salt in many homes.

But, what exactly is Himalayan Salt?

Himalayan salt is made from rock crystals of salt mined from the Punjab region of Pakistan. The salt is naturally pink in color and is used as a food additive like table salt.

The history of Himalayan salt goes way back to over 300 million years ago when they were dissolved in the water of the ancient oceans. The oceans dried up over time and left behind these rock salts as deposits. It contains around 80+ minerals and elements including sulfate, magnesium, calcium, potassium, bicarbonate, bromide, borate, strontium, and fluoride (in descending order of quantity).

Himalayan Salt vs Sea Salt

Himalayan Salt:

Pink Himalayan salt is generally called as the finishing salt to add flavour and crunchy texture to the dish.

Minerals: It is hand mined and ground and gets it’s pink colour from trace amounts of iron oxide. Himalayan salt is considered healthier than sea salt due to the presence of more beneficial mineral content like magnesium, potassium and calcium than sea salt.

Sodium content: According to Health Line, Himalayan Pink salt is lower in sodium than regular table salt and is considered one of the purer salt varieties. It consists of around 36.8% sodium.

Iodine Content : While it may contain iodine, it’s usually less than what is found in iodized salts.

Cost : Pink Himalayan Salt are expensive than sea salt and their price ranges between $0.35 and $1 per ounce

Sea Salt

It is created through evaporation of sea water or salt water lakes. Unlike table salt which is mined and processed to filter out excessminerals , sea salt is produced naturally. Hence, the texture is large and crystalline .The natural evaporation helps with preserving the traces of minerals in the sea salt.

Minerals: Like table salt, sea salt mainly contains sodium chloride. Sea salt contains minerals like potassium, iron and zinc but are lesser in quantity as compared to Himalayan Pink Salt.

Sodium Content: Sea Salt accounts to about 38.3% Sodium more than the Himalayan Sea Salt making it less healthy.

Iodine Content: Although pink Himalayan salt may naturally contain some iodine, it most likely contains less iodine than iodized salt. Therefore, those who have iodine deficiency or are at risk of deficiency may need to source iodine elsewhere if using pink salt instead of table salt. Check out this post to know rich sources of Iodine and also a checklist to know if you are deficient in Iodine!

Cost : Generally expensive than table salt but cheaper than Himalayan salt. It costs around $0.10 cents per ounce or less.

Key Notes on Iodine: It makes more sense to get your iodine from food. That way you can cut back on salt and not worry about losing out on this important element.

5 Benefits of Himalayan Pink Salt :

Helps with Body Detox

Naturally rich with more than 80+ minerals, the Himalayan salt bath can help remove toxins , deep cleanse the skin and helps cleanse the body energetically. The salt bath is both healing and a therapeutic experience for both mind and body. In ancient times, people used to religiously take ritual baths with salt water and it has made its way into our times as well. Spiritually, this salt has some enormous beneficial properties that can help with cleansing your aura and removing negative energy.

Himalayan Saltwater Bath for Detox directions:

According to Healthline, the correct way to do Himalayan salt bath is as follows:

1. Rinse off in the shower to remove dirt, oils and cosmetic products from your body
2. Fill the bathtub with warm water and add a handful or two of the Himalayan Pink salt and let it dissolve
3. Bath for 10 to 30 minutes. Rinse off and dry
4. Moisturize your skin afterward

According to Dr Axe, this recipe can help with detox.

Himalayan Saltwater Flush Recipe for Detox:

1. Boil some water
2. Add Himalayan Pink salt, and squeeze fresh lemon juice
3. Shake it or stir it vigorously till the salt is fully dissolved and no granules are seen
4. Drink the mixture quickly within 5 minutes as the taste isn’t that great.
5. Lay down on one side and massage your belly. Then repeat on the other side. Holding in the mixture for at least 30 minutes is ideal.
6. Within some time, you should start to feel the urge to go to the bathroom.
7. You might be needing to use the restroom for several hours before your colon is fully cleaned.
8. Take a Probiotic supplement and have healthy food which helps with establishing healthy bacteria in the gut and provide you essential nutrients/electrolytes.

Helps with Air Purification

Himalayan salt lamps are crystals carved from reddish pink hued rock salt, hollowed out to fill a bulb inside.

These lamps when switched on give off a dim light. The lamps attract allergens, toxins and pollutants onto their surface and release negative ions.

Everyday appliances like TV, mobile phones, tablets, computers release positive ions into the air constantly which can cause an overflow of electromagnetic radiation which though invisible is believed to cause some serious long term effects like a weak immune system, stress, and fatigue.

Himalayan salt is believed to emit negative ions which cancel out the positive ions neutralizing the electromagnetic radiation. This, in turn, helps with reducing artificial frequencies.

Boost your Electrolytes and Improves Digestion along with Balancing pH levels

Himalayan saltwater also known as Sole water is basically water saturated with salt. Scientifically speaking, Sole water is electrolyte dense brine. When water and salt are dissolved together, the negative ions of the water molecules combine with the positive ions and vice versa making them electrically charged. This helps in easy absorption of the minerals thus maintaining fluid balance in the body.

This is not recommended to people suffering from high blood pressure or anyone who needs to reduce their salt intake.

Himalayan salt stimulates hydrochloric acid and certain enzymes that help in the breakdown of food improving digestion. Also, this nutrient-rich salt helps in maintaining a good pH level in the body. This is responsible for our body’s immunity and absorption of nutrients during digestion.

Recipe to make Sole Water:

1. Fill about 1/4^th of your glass jar with Himalayan salt.
2. Add filtered water until a little space is left at the top of the jar.
3. Twist the lid and make sure it’s tight enough and vigorously shake the jar for the mixture to combine.
4. Leave it overnight
5. Next morning, if the salt is dissolved add more salt and wait for another night.
6. Continue his process till the salt sediments are visible at the bottom of the glass jar meaning that the jar is saturated with salt and it’s ready to go.
7. You don’t need to store it in refrigerator as salt acts like a preservative.
8. Mix 1 teaspoon of this decoction with adequate amounts of water and sip in the morning on an empty stomach.

Caution: It is always a good idea to consult the doctor before beginning any dietary supplementation and people with prior medical conditions or pregnant women are advised not to try anything by themselves.

Helps with better sleep at nights and also helps to alleviate Migraine Headache

Do you have trouble sleeping or suffering from insomnia? Himalayan salt may come to your rescue. Soaking in Himalayan salt is an amazing way to release stress and calm your mind. Himalayan salt has Magnesium which is responsible for regulating the hormone Melatonin, which guides sleep-wake cycles in your body.

Recipe to have a good night sleep:

1. Mix organic honey along with Himalayan salt in the ratio 5 parts honey and 1 part Himalayan pink salt.
2. Take one spoon of this concoction before bed.

Recipe for Instant Migraine relief:

Migraines are known to occur due to people’s diet . Dehydration is another cause of migraine and if your symptoms include vomiting sensation and loss of appetite then this means you are low on fluids and electrolytes. The below remedy can be useful at those times.

1. 2 tablespoons Himalayan crystal salt
2. 1 cup lemon juice
3. 1 cup Water
4. Mix all of the above ingredients and drink it.

It gives instant pain relief.

Acts as a natural Exfoliator or Scrubber:

Himalayan salt makes a wonderful natural exfoliator. Mix Himalayan salt along with coconut oil or olive oil or any essential oil and use it during a warm bath.

It helps in making the skin supple and smooth removing your dead skin and replenishing it.

So, what are your thoughts about this salt? Have you ever used it? If yes, let me know your experience!

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