Benefits of Himalayan salt have been recognized for centuries, and it’s no surprise why. This pink salt is packed with minerals and has been found to offer numerous health benefits. From improved respiratory function to better skin health, Himalayan salt has a lot to offer. In this article, we’ll explore some of the top benefits of this ancient salt and how you can incorporate it into your daily routine.
What is Pink Himalayan salt?
Pink sea salt is obtained from the salt mountain range in the Punjab region of Pakistan. It is pink in color because of the impurities present in it. However, it contains almost 98% of sodium chloride (NaCl). Along with NaCl, this pink salt contains several other trace minerals, including potassium, magnesium, and calcium [1].
How is it different from table salt and sea salt?
Chemically pink Himalayan sea salt is very similar to common table salt. Still, pink Himalayan salt is more balanced and healthy than regular salt. It’s mined by hand, while table salt involves heavy processing, eliminating all the essential nutrients.
Ordinary table salt contains 97.5-99.9% sodium chloride, while Himalayan salt contains 87% sodium chloride. Specifically, regular salt has 581mg of sodium, while Himalayan salt has 388mg of sodium per 1/4 teaspoon.
You are probably wondering what’s the meaning of this difference. It simply means that himalayan pink salt contains a greater proportion of other important minerals that are not present in table salt.
Here are the top 5 Benefits of Himalayan pink salt
1. Lowers Blood Pressure
One of the essential benefits of Himalayan salt is that it contains less sodium reducing the risk of high blood pressure. Due to heavy processing, table salt contains fewer minerals and more sodium than Himalayan pink salt. Himalayan salt is rich in iodine, which prevents a person from getting iodine deficiency and helps decrease blood pressure.
2. Improved pH and Digestion
One of the benefits of pink Himalayan salt is that it is richer in trace minerals, so it helps the human body maintain the average level of body pH. Once the human body has a balanced pH, its immunity is strong, and it can better process and digest its food.
3. Enhances quality of sleep
Due to its high mineral content, Himalayan sea salt helps a person get better and more restful sleep. Too much salt in your diet can be dangerous, but enough salt must be included in your diet to have a good sleep at night.
Irregular and disturbed sleep patterns were observed in persons with low-sodium diets compared to others taking normal sodium.
4. Promote hydration
On average, an adult human body is approximately 65% water. So, if the body’s water content drops by 2%, we will feel severely fatigued.
Furthermore, suppose we sweat or work out. In that case, we lose our essential minerals or electrolytes, so drinking water with a pinch of Himalayan pink salt after a workout can help you regain your essential nutrients and feel energetic and hydrated.
5. Pink Himalayan salt lamps for air purification
Pink Himalayan sea salt creates a lamp to provide clean air in our houses and offices. These Himalayan salt lamps not just provide light but also helps to clean the air by attracting water vapors and air pollutants because of their inherent nature as salt.
Due to the heat of the rock salt lamp, the water vapor evaporates, but the dust and allergens remain in the salt and will not enter your body [2].
Are there any risks associated with its use?
Too much sodium in the diet can adversely affect a person’s health. According to a recent survey, one should take less than 2300mg of sodium per day, equal to 1 tsp of regular table salt per day [3]. However, all persons with high blood pressure should decrease their salt limit to 1500mg daily.
When individuals take in more sodium than their body requires, their kidneys try to excrete the extra sodium from the urine. However, if the kidneys cannot excrete enough sodium from the body, it accumulates in the interstitial fluid.
This increases blood volume, ultimately affecting the heart and blood vessels and leading to cardiovascular disease, stroke, and damage to the liver and kidney.
The Takeaway
From all the above discussion, you are familiar with these large crystals of pink himalayan salt, which provide multiple benefits compared to table salt. All these benefits are because of the comparatively lower sodium concentration that has proven to be more healthy. However, regardless of the multiple benefits, consumption of this salt should also be within recommended dosages.
References
1. Is Himalayan Pink Salt Really Healthier Than Regular Salt? [Internet]. Verywell Fit. [cited 2022 Oct 15]. Available from: https://www.verywellfit.com/himalayan-pink-salt-4587779
2. 9 Benefits of Himalayan Salt [Internet]. healthyhumanlife.com. [cited 2022 Oct 15]. Available from: https://healthyhumanlife.com/blogs/news/benefits-of-himalayan-salt
3. Pink Himalayan salt: Does it have any health benefits? [Internet]. www.medicalnewstoday.com. 2018 [cited 2022 Oct 15]. Available from: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/315081#what-is-pink-himalayan-salt
