Himalayan Salt

Himalayan salt has a reputation for being healthier than it's white counterpart. Although the pink salt contains more minerals, the difference isn't enough to drastically impact your health. A lack of regular salt in your system, however, could potentially lead to an iodine deficiency. Himalayan salt is packed with over 84 trace minerals and elements that make it incredibly nourishing for your body. Pink salt has numerous benefits from helping the body detoxify to boosting energy to improving digestion to promoting healthy hair, skin, and nails. Salt is a mineral largely consisting of the compound sodium chloride. Salt contains so much sodium chloride around 98% by weight that most people use the words “salt” and “sodium” interchangeably. Salt can be produced by evaporating salt water or extracting solid salt from underground salt mines. Before it reaches your grocery store, table salt also goes through a refining process to remove impurities and any other minerals besides sodium chloride. Anticaking agents are sometimes added to help absorb moisture, and iodine is often included to help consumers prevent iodine deficiency. Humans have used salt to flavor and preserve foods for thousands of years. Interestingly, sodium also plays an important role in several biological functions, including fluid balance, nerve conduction and muscle contraction. For this reason, it’s absolutely necessary to have salt, or sodium, in your diet. However, many health professionals claim that too much sodium can lead to high blood pressure and heart disease, although recent research has called this long-held belief into question. Because of the potential dangers of consuming too much table salt, many people have turned to using pink Himalayan salt, believing it to be a healthier alternative.

Salt is the essence of life. Our body needs it, but not too much –or too little. Salt is made up of two electrolytes – sodium and chloride that help in maintaining the fluid balance in your body. It also helps regulate your blood pressure. In the last few years, salt or sodium has gained a bad reputation primarily because our appetite for junk or processed food has increased which has become the primary cause of excess salt consumption.You can use is for regular cooking or as a finishing salt. It offers a burst of saltiness for your palate. Himalayan salt is also good for seasoning meat as it clings to the surface well and spreads evenly.  You can also blend the sweet and savoury and use a pinch in desserts. American food writer and entrepreneur, Mark Bitterman has been playing with finishing salts and Himalayan salt blocks for few years now. In his book, Salt Block Cooking, he explains, "Himalayan salt blocks have very little porosity and because they have virtually no moisture, they can be safely heated or chilled to great extremes."  This makes it very versatile. You can crumble it over your food or even cook over it. Bitterman uses salt blocks to saute, grill, chill, cure, bake, and even as a platter to serve.  When foods are cooked over these blocks they acquire a delicate saltiness that sets them off perfectly.

Health benefits of Himalayan Salt

The Himalayan crystal salt contains certain minerals like potassium, calcium and magnesium that makes it so precious. It is believed to contain as many as 84 trace minerals! Here are six amazing health benefits of the Himalayan salt that definitely makes it superior than your regular table salt.

  • Sole water to flush out toxins
  • Regulates blood sugar and hormonal balance
  • Improves digestion
  • Salt therapy for respiratory problems
  •  Bath soak
  • Himalayan salt lamps to purify the air