Himalayan Pink Salt Contains Other Natural Minerals That May Enhance Your Health
Pink salt (also called pink salt or pink salts) is a mineral salt commonly found in the Himalayan region of northern Pakistan and China. It’s often used in Indian cooking as well, although it is commercially available in many other areas of the world. Himalayan pink salt is so far the highest grade of salt available worldwide. It’s a strong, salty alternative to regular table salt that can withstand many kinds of food and be kept in open freezers for long periods of time – even years.
Himalayan pink salt has become popular in the United States for its purported health benefits. Although we don’t generally consider the average American’s sodium intake to be high enough to cause harm, many people are taking steps to reduce their intake of sodium in recent years. Part of this has been the increased awareness of the need for low sodium diets. For others, the benefits of pink Himalayan salt are based on anecdotal evidence – a friend or relative with a large amount of excess intake shows no ill effects, and there are no negative effects on the body that could result from decreased sodium consumption. However, no matter the level of sodium consumption in a person’s diet, increased sodium intake can potentially cause health problems for people who are vulnerable to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, stroke, or osteoporosis.
Most experts agree that the only way to reduce the risk of hypertension is to lower intake of sodium through either diet or regular table salt. Many health professionals recommend avoiding table salt and opting instead for unsweetened varieties, particularly those made from pink Himalayan salt. A typical dinner may consist of turkey, roasted potatoes, French fries, boiled eggs, fresh fruit, and a side of home-cooked spaghetti with tomato sauce. If the dinner is light on sodium, consider adding low-sodium soy sauce to boost the calcium content of the meal. Alternatively, a low-salt diet may help to control hypertension by restricting the intake of sodium in conjunction with increased exercise and/or fluid therapy.
The mineral trace minerals found in pink Himalayan salt have been shown in scientific studies to lower blood pressure and increase potassium consumption (Ruth, R). Because of their sodium content, salt reduction products that contain pink salt have been marketed as alternative salt alternatives. One of the salt substitutes commonly used is sodium bicarbonate.
Sodium bicarbonate is available as sodium bicarbonate-free pink salt (back) and as regular table salt. Although the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers bicarbonate as safe for use, some doctors and dentists discourage the widespread use of bicarbonate-free salt. They argue that regular table salt contains trace minerals that are beneficial to human health. These minerals include magnesium, potassium, sodium, calcium, and phosphorus. Moreover, bicarbonate has been found to have negative effects on teeth, gums, and the absorption of other nutrients in food. Therefore, the benefits of pink salt cannot be fully determined by using bicarbonate-free products.
Bicarbonate-free products also have less stringent manufacturing processes than regular salt. In addition, the color is similar to regular salt. The FDA has warned against the use of pink salt in place of regular salt, due to the lack of sodium content. This has resulted in the replacement of regular salt with sodium bicarbonate. This new alternative has been associated with significantly lowered blood pressure and other health issues.
Bicarbonate-free products also contain magnesium and potassium, which are lacking in regular table salt. While it is impossible to ingest enough of these minerals from ingesting the entire amount of regular salt, consuming a small amount of Himalayan pink salt may significantly improve your health. Bicarbonate has been shown to be absorbed better by the body than sodium. It was also found that magnesium and potassium lost about half of their content when added to regular table salt.
Although there are no known health benefits of pink salt, many health benefits may be gained through the consumption of table salt. We all know that eating too much salt can lead to health issues such as high blood pressure and heart disease. By replacing salt with Himalayan pink salt, you may decrease your risk for these life-threatening diseases.