The soft pink hue of Himalayan rock salt makes it more visible and desirable at the same time. These shiny little crystals look quite mesmerizing and the gorgeous pink color only adds to their natural beauty.
Anytime you see this salt, you may be wondering where it comes from or the reason for its beautiful pink color. Himalayan salt is usually seen in small bottles stacked on the shelves of grocery stores or in jars placed in the cupboards of our kitchens.
Well, it’s pretty much the Himalayan crystal salt that exists in the form of small crystals. But what about products made from this salt? Do they also have a pink color? If so, why then? Let us find the answers to all these questions for you.
However, for those who don’t know much about Himalayan salt, let’s do a quick introduction first, then we’ll get to the point of interest here – what is rock salt made of and why is it pink?
What is Himalayan rock salt?
Often given to others as gifts or commonly piled high in grocery stores or spas, Himalayan salt is an excellent edible salt and bath salt known to have a wide variety of therapeutic and health benefits .
Not only is it used to impart beautiful presentation and taste to different cuisines, but it also has a wide range of other benefits.
The name of this rock salt explains well the place of its origins which is none other than the famous salt mines of khewra at the foot of the Himalayan mountains. This salt is carefully mined and extracted from these mines in large quantities which are then distributed throughout the world.
Amazing health and beauty products are made from this rock salt i.e. face and body scrubs, bath salts , toners and unique water. Himalayan salt lamps are also very famous and are not only a source of light but also provide therapeutic benefits to their users.
Origin of Himalayan rock salt
The color and composition of this rock salt depend on its origin as well. To find an answer to why Himalayan salt has a pink color, we must have a good knowledge of its origin.
It is believed that around 800 million years ago a salt bed was formed due to the evaporation of a huge ocean. The salt bed was then compressed by tectonic and environmental processes and covered in lava at the foot of one of the tallest and most famous mountain ranges in the world, known as the Himalayan Range.
Although the salt bed has existed for centuries, the lava surrounding it has made it quite difficult for other environmental pollutants to penetrate and has affected its purity.
The vast deposits of salt are crushed and broken down into very small pieces to obtain the crystalline version of rock salt. This whole process is purely mechanical and workers work by hand to obtain a pure version of Himalayan rock salt crystals.
Himalayan rock salt is often considered pure and free of any kind of processing. This is why it is most often used as the main ingredient in health and beauty products.
However, very few people know that the basic reason for the pink color of this salt is the presence of certain minerals. So, let us have a detailed look at this and see why Himalayan Pink Salt from Pakistan is pink.
Why is Himalayan salt pink?
There are many minerals in Himalayan salt . The normal table salt that we use in our daily life is made up of sodium chloride.
However, Himalayan salt also contains sodium and chloride as its main components but along with this it contains eighty four trace minerals which are the building blocks of this salt. So if you are wondering which mineral is the main component of rock salt? So you have your answer now.
Himalayan rock salt contains a significant percentage of sodium chloride, but it also contains other minerals responsible for its pink color. Some of these minerals are iron, zinc, manganese, and potassium, but others are elements like oxygen, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and hydrogen.
Therefore, Himalayan salt contains more minerals than any other type of salt. It is above all the presence of traces of iron oxide that gives this salty pink color. This pink color makes this salt unique and recognizable.
Does the pink color make Himalayan rock salt more beneficial?
Himalayan pink salt has a wide range of uses and one of them is to give food a nice color and flavor. The pink color of Himalayan pink salt is believed to give it certain properties that make it much better than regular table salt. However, no scientific theory supports this argument. Many people use this marketing strategy to promote their rock salt products.
There is no doubt that these products are beneficial to health but it is not because of the pink tint of this rock salt but because of the minerals which cause this pink color.
Himalayan Pink Salt Products
Some of the most common Himalayan pink salt products are edible salt, bath salt, and pet lick salt which are made from rock salt crystals. Himalayan bath salt is widely known to rejuvenate the skin and make it healthier than ever. Salt licking is very popular among farm owners for their animals.
Other very common salt products are the candle holder and Himalayan rock salt lamps which have therapeutic properties and also serve as excellent illuminators.
Conclusion
Rock salt is a fascinating product of nature that presents itself with an ethereal pink hue due to its mineral components and also has a wide range of uses in our daily lives.
