In recent times, you must have heard a lot about Himalayan pink salt and its wellness benefits and might be using it or wish to use it for regular meals but have some questions in mind. These questions could be related to its origin, its differences from other salts, and its main characteristics that make it distinctive from others.
Then this article is just for you. Give this article a read, get all the answers, and learn about the benefits of using Himalayan salt in your daily routine.
Where Does Himalayan Sea Salt Come From?
People usually wonder, is Himalayan Salt Really From Himalaya? Well, the answer is no.
Interestingly, the name of the salt doesn’t connect to the Himalayan location. The pink Himalayan salt comes from Khewra, the second-largest mine located in Punjab, Pakistan, offering all the desired minerals, including potassium, magnesium, and iodine in trace quantities. There are several salt mines in the location; however, the Khewra salt mine is the biggest salt mine producing pink Himalayan salt.
How Himalayan Salt Was Discovered?
The discovery of Himalayan salt dates back to 320 BC when the troops of Alexander the Great were crossing the region. The soldiers’ horses discovered the salt deposits when they licked the rocks.
However, the Himalayan salt was formed around 200 million years ago when the sea beds dried up by sun energy and remained covered under lava residue.
Does It Contain Any Minerals?
One of the main properties of Himalayan salt is its mineral content. It is 98% of Sodium chloride and 2% vital minerals and trace elements. These minerals include zinc, potassium, iron, magnesium, and many more. These trace minerals make Himalayan salt distinct from many other types of salts. Based on this mineral content, it is claimed to be beneficial for human health.
Himalayan salt not just flavors your food but also offers minerals necessary to regulate the body, mind, nerves, and muscle function.
Does Himalayan Salt Have Iodine?
The human body requires Iodine for the balanced functioning of the thyroid and cellular decomposition.
According to the potentiometer method by Spectral analysis, the Iodine concentration in Himalayan salt is less than 0.1 grams. You must know that Iodine is harmful to your body if consumed in higher amounts. However, the good news is that this concentration of Iodine isn’t harmful to humans. On the other hand, the iodine is externally added to the regular table salt.
Why Is Himalayan Salt Pink?
The Himalayan salt takes its pink color from the minerals in it. The salt has a pink color with reddish-orange hues due to the naturally occurring iron oxide traces from the volcanic clay. This color is one of the unique features of this salt.
We all know that sodium chloride is the primary chemical compound of the common salt. However, the Himalayan salt contains traces of 84 additional minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, and many more.
Does Himalayan Salt Taste Different?
Yes, the Himalayan salt tastes different because it’s unrefined, unprocessed, and in its natural form. As a result, it has a distinct flavor rich in minerals and traces of elements that give the salt a unique taste. Lucky for you, the Himalayan salt is free from any additives and preservatives. You can add this salt to all your meals, sauces, soups, dips, and salad dressing.
Does Himalayan Salt Go Bad?
The good news is that the Himalayan salt doesn’t go bad because it comes in its natural crystalline form from Khewra salt mines. Fortunately, the salt quality doesn’t degrade or spoil because of its naturally stable composition. Also, the minerals don’t degrade in normal conditions until some extreme external heat or pressure is applied.
Does Himalayan Salt Expire?
As far as the expiry of Himalayan salt is concerned, the Himalayan salt doesn’t expire even for years in its natural state without any additives. The salt has been present in the mines for millions of years without going bad.
This salt doesn’t lose its stable composition and flavor over time if you don’t combine it with other herbs or seasonings.
You need to store Himalayan salt in an air-tight container in your pantry at room temperature. This way, you can ensure indefinite shelf life for the pink Himalayan salt.
On the other hand, table salt contains different chemicals and preservatives that reduce its shelf life.
Is Pink Salt Good for Cooking?
Of course, why not. It’s healthier to cook meals using Himalayan salt as it contains minerals, such as iron, calcium, and sodium, necessary to balance fluids and regulate many body functions.
You can use the pink salt for seasoning and elevating the flavor of different foods, such as potatoes, soup, vegetables, rice, and meat. For example, you can sprinkle pink salt over soft pretzels or put it in baked goods; it depends on your choice.
A pro tip: You must keep the sodium intake to less than 2300 mg daily to maintain a balanced diet.
What Is Himalayan Salt Used For?
In addition to using Himalayan salt for seasoning and preparing meals, you can use it to treat respiratory and skin problems. The salt inhaler efficiently minimizes infections and inflammation of the respiratory tract while clearing the air passageways.
Besides the physical health benefits, the Himalayan pink salt soothes and calms your nerves, improves the sleep cycle, and reduces depression and anxiety.
You can also use Himalayan salt in your baths to treat skin allergies, improve skin texture and regulate its pH level. You will find several popular skincare products having Himalayan salt as the main ingredient such as skin and hair toners, bath salts, bath bombs, hair sprays, and many more.
If you are concerned about your pet’s health, you can use the animal lick salt to treat malnutritions, coughing, and sneezing in the pets, courtesy of the anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties of the Himalayan salt.
Is It Better Than Table Salt?
Himalayan pink salt is considered better than regular table salt because of various reasons. Himalayan salt is available in raw natural form without going through any harsh processing and refining. Whereas table salt is refined and goes through many processes such as bleaching to remove dirt. The bleaching process not only removes the dirt and unwanted particles but also rips off beneficial minerals.
To avoid lumping, anti-caking agents are added externally to table salt, on the other hand, Himalayan salt does not contain such external agents.
Himalayan salt is one of the purest salts because it remained covered under mountains and lava, saving it from contamination. That is why it does not require harsh processing and bleaching which ensures its original form, color, and texture.
The beautiful color of Himalayan salt is the plus point. It can be used as a finishing salt to enhance the presentation of dishes. Unlike table salt, the pink Himalayan salt is available in different grain sizes that can be used for different purposes.
