You have probably seen or used this unusual-looking salt, but do you know how this salt affects the body? Read this article to find out more about this pink salt commonly known as Himalayan pink salt.
Origins
The Himalayan mountain range is the largest mountain range in the world. It stretches across East Asia and goes through several countries- China, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan, Myanmar, and Afghanistan.
For many people, the Himalayan mountain is associated with Mount Everest the world’s highest peak, but there are many other things that make this region special, and the specific type of salt that is produced there is one of these special things.
Long before the first human started to walk (about a few hundred million years ago), the crystallized sea salt beds that we can find in isolated areas in the Himalayans were completely covered by lava.
Besides the fact that they have been preserved in a clean and untouched environment that has been protected by ice and snow during the whole year, the lava itself has kept the salt from pollution making many experts convinced that this specific type of salt known as Himalayan Pink salt is the purest salt that can be found on our planet today.
Today, this salt is manually mined from the mountains and we can use it in our meals.
Why is this salt pink?
The huge number of pink, white and red shades is a clear sign that this salt is rich in different minerals and has a large quantity of iron content.
The Benefits of Using Himalayan Pink Salt
Just like minerals and vitamins are ideally packaged in vegetables and fruits, the mineral found within the sodium work perfectly synergized in this salt. Synergy is a term used to describe the interaction between multiple elements in a closed system to produce an effect that is different and in most cases greater than the simple sum of their individual properties.
- Iodine – Salts that are completely natural are packed with iodine which means that we don’t have to add iodine artificially.
- Lower levels of sodium per serving – Himalayan pink salt comes with the same ingredients found in table salt, but because of the specific crystal structure, it is a little bit larger than regular salt. In other words, this salt has significantly less sodium per serving because the seat salt flakes or crystals take less space on a teaspoon than processed table salt grains.
- Comes with more than 80 minerals and useful elements – This salt comes in the form of mineral-packed crystals which were produced in a natural way in the earth and they contain about 85% of sodium chloride and 15% of some other minerals like magnesium, sulfate, calcium, bicarbonate, potassium, borate, bromide, fluoride and strontium.
With the help of these minerals, Himalayan pink salt has the ability to:
- The best remedy for migraine headaches.
- Increase the level of hydration.
- Lead to an electrolyte balance.
- Manage water content outside and inside of cells.
- Prevent muscle cramps.
- Balance and stabilize pH (acidity/alkaline) and help the system reduce acid reflux.
- Help the intestines absorb nutrients in the best way.
- Stabilize blood pressure.
- Improve the health of bones.
- Help proper metabolism functioning.
- Improve blood flow.
- Prevent goiters.
- Break down and eliminate sediment and flush out toxins.
According to some nutritionists, Himalayan pink salt can also improve libido, slow down the aging process and cleanse the body from heavy metals.
Pink Salt vs. Sea Salt – Which one is better?
It is good to know that although these pink salts are found in the mountains, they are classified as sea salts too. All salt originates from salted water – an ocean, sea, or salt-water lake.
However, Himalayan pink salt is considered to be the purest sea salt in the world.
Why Himalayan Pink Salt is Superior to Table Salt?
The refined salt that we can usually find in the markets is processed in a way that removes all of the minerals found in it including chloride and sodium.
In addition, this salt is chemically bleached, cleaned, and heated at very high temperatures.
Furthermore, during the process of production, regular table salt is processed with so-called anti-caking substances which prevent the mixture of water and salt in the salt container. These substances also prevent the proper dissolving of salt in our body and lead to the accumulation and creation of deposits in various parts of the body which eventually lead to serious health issues.
The iodine that is added to this salt is synthetic and very difficult to be processed in a natural way. According to US laws, manufacturers can use additives in the salt (up to 2% of its content).
How to use Himalayan pink salt?
- Salt slabs – Salt slabs are used as serving platters and they can significantly improve the taste of this salt and its mineral content. Chilled slabs can be used as decoration for fruits, vegetables, sushi, and cheese. Heated salt slabs are used to sear vegetables, fish fillets, shrimp, or sliced beef. Frozen slabs are used for cold desserts and sorbets.
- Cooking and curing– Use grinders or pre-ground salt in the same way as any other salt.
- Bathing – pour some Himalayan salt into the tub in order to experience some powerful detoxifying properties from this salt. The nutrients found in Himalayan salt will improve blood circulation and ease any pain or discomfort associated with sore muscles.
- Decoration– Use this salt in containers, as decorative crystals and add a couple of pinches to decorate food.
- Purification of air – Specially designed crystal rock lamps filled with Himalayan salt and used for air purification can be found in e-stores.
- Essential oil diffusers and potpourri holders – You can find many different products of this kind on the Internet.
We hope that this information will help you understand how useful Himalayan pink salt can be and that you will try to replace table salt with this salt.
In case you are a great fan of meat, you should definitely practice bringing it. Brining will make any meat juicier and tastier. Here’s a recipe that will help you prepare it.
Low sodium brine for poultry and pork (Brine will do its job for up to 8 lbs. of protein).
Ingredients:
- 3 ounces of sea salt
- 1 gallon of water
- 3 ounces of sugar
- 1 tablespoon of citrus zest (you can use lime, orange, or lemon instead)
Directions:
- Add the sugar, salt, and other aromatic substances to a pot and wait until the water begins to simmer (the salt and sugar should be dissolved at this point).
- Remove the pot from the stove and let it cool down before you use the brine
- Let your protein brine for about 6 hours
- Carefully drain the protein and leave it like that for a while. After that, dry it in a refrigerator for about 2 hours.
- Broil, roast, or grill as desired
Via Himalayan Salt