Visit any gourmet or health food store and you will find jars of pink Himalayan salt. It’s often touted as a more natural and healthier alternative to table salt.
But is that really the case, or is it mostly marketing?
What gives pink salt its distinctive colour?
Pink salt, also called Himalayan pink salt, is mostly extracted from Khewra Salt Mine in Pakistan, and its soft pink hue is due to trace minerals such as iron, magnesium, potassium, and calcium. These are also the reasons why pink salt is marketed as a better option.
But here’s the catch: the added marketing minerals are not sufficient. To actually receive minerals from pink salt, you’d need to consume a lot of it, and any kind of excess consumption of salt is unhealthy.
Whether it’s pink or table salt, too much of either is harmful
The nutrients that table salt has are derived from mining and processing which often includes fortifying salt with iodine- and iodine deficiency. Iodine is a mineral which balances the thyroid, so it is quite vital in eliminating thyroid problems.
During the professional remediation, the table salt loses other minerals and anti-caking agents are added in order to prevent it from forming lumps. There have been some critics who have told it is “overly refined.” Nonetheless, added iodine in some countries serves a dire health purpose due to the common deficiency of iodine.
In terms of salt content which affects blood pressure, both are more or less identical. Pink salt may appear to be more “healthy” but don’t buy into the belief that it will benefit you hugely.
Table saltIf you love the look or flavour, there’s no harm in choosing pink salt. But don’t fall for claims that it detoxifies your body or provides major health perks. And if you’re using pink salt exclusively, make sure you’re getting enough iodine from other foods like seafood, dairy or iodized salt now and then.
One food item is rarely enough to give you a massive uplift in your health. Try to focus on a balanced diet, keep your salt intake reasonable and don’t rely on trendy claims for your health choices.
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