Why does the body need salt?
Sodium is an essential trace mineral found in salt. The body needs it for a variety of functions. It plays a key role in the nervous system, muscular system, and maintaining bodily fluid balance.
It can support:
- contracting and relaxing muscles
- maintaining proper fluid balance and preventing dehydration
- sending nervous system impulses
- preventing low blood pressure
- Recent research has suggested that eating salt can reduce the risk of infection and kill harmful bacteria.
One study on animals has also led researchers to infer that salt may have a positive effect on symptoms of depression.
Various claims
When I first started researching about Himalayan pink salt found many contradicting articles.
The most common claim that you’ll find across the internet is that Himalayan salt contains “84 trace minerals” for your body. Himalayan salt does, indeed, contain trace amounts of dozens of minerals. It’s just that most of them are in such low concentrations that it doesn’t matter.
Some people believe that pink Himalayan salt is lower in sodium than regular table salt. However, both types consist of approximately 98 percent sodium chloride. Pink salt has a saltier flavor than table salt, meaning that a person can use less salt in a serving to achieve the same taste.
Some claim that Himalayan salt is more natural than table salt. This claim appears to have merit. Table salt is usually heavily refined and mixed with anti-caking agents to prevent clumping, such as sodium aluminosilicate or magnesium carbonate; Himalayan salt is less artificial and does not usually contain additives. For reasons like that, sea salt is frequently thought of as a better alternative, but studies show that the majority of sea salt brands have microplastics in them, because we’ve polluted our oceans with plastic.
Some believe that adding a pinch of pink salt to meals or drinks can help the body achieve optimal fluid balance and prevent dehydration. It is true that sodium is necessary to maintain proper fluid balance. However, this is true of sodium from other types of salt also and not only pink Himalayan salt.
Although pink Himalayan salt may naturally contain some iodine, it most likely contains less iodine than iodized salt. Therefore, those who have iodine deficiency or are at risk of deficiency may need to source iodine elsewhere if using pink salt instead of table salt.
Bottom line
At present, there is no scientific evidence to show that pink Himalayan salt provides more health benefits than sea salt and regular table salt.
Standard refined table salt typically has various bleaching agents, anti-caking agents, and other additives. This makes it pure white and easy to mass produce with machinery and come out of the salt shaker evenly.
Sea salt, on the other hand, has been studied to contain plastic in varying small amounts, because micro-plastic sadly keeps accumulating in our oceans.
Himalayan salt is not special; Just salt and some other trace minerals. Whether or not the amount of Himalayan pink salt you eat can offer the quantities needed to reap the benefits is debatable. By nature of being unprocessed, it may be a better choice. But cautious consumers should also be aware that trace minerals aren’t always good for the body like they would have you believe.
