Himalayan Salt

In this Article (Index)

• What is Himalayan Salt
• Geological History
• Composition
• Risk of Iodine Deficiency
• Sodium content of Himalayan Salt vs. regular table salt
• Himalayan salt is the same as table salt for hypertension
• Traditional Ayurvedic Medicine uses for Himalayan Salt
• How much salt should you use?
• Conclusions

What is Himalayan Salt

Himalayan rock salt, or Himalayan salt, is a rock salt that has a characteristic color that ranges from black to pink, with a range of red tones in between.

Himalayan salt is a rock salt that originates from the Salt Range mountains in Pakistan, where it is mined. The mines are roughly 110 miles (180 km) to the southwest of the western Himalayas.

Rock salt or halite, is a type mineral composed of crystalized sodium chloride (NaCl) that is formed by the evaporation of salty lakes or shallow seas. The salt beds were then overlaid and buried by sediments. They are mined in sites that can be hundreds of miles from the ocean.

Sea salt on the other hand has been produced since antiquity by evaporating water from the sea, to produce concentrated brines using solar energy in warm and dry regions. The brines are then processd into to dry crystalline sea salt.

There are different varieties of Himalayan salt. Black and rose or pink salt.

Black Rock Salt

The Black rock salt a very dark natural variety of Himalayan salt. There is also a man-made variety called "Kala Namak", produced by burning rock salt in a kiln with certain fruits and bark; this variety is used both in cooking and in folk medicine for gastrointestinal diseases like flatulence, heartburn and abdominal distension. It is also a medicine in India's traditional medical system. It contains iron, calcium, and potassium. (4),(1)

Pink or Rose Salt

It gets its name from its pink color and it is commonly known as "Saindha Namak."

Geological History

Himalayan salt comes from rock-salt mines in the Salt Range of mountains in Pakistan. The salt itself is around 550 million years old, and formed as sea water evaporated leaving the salt behind in shallow seas during the Edicaran and early Cambrian period.

The salt has been dated using the fossils of trilobites in the sediments overlying it. It lies on top of a Precambrian basement rock that forms part of the Indian Shield, or plate.

The Salt range formed when the Indian plate collided with Asia some 50 million years ago. This pushed up the Tibetan plateau and formed the Himalayas. The collision continues as the plate inches northwards at a rate of 2 inches (5 cm) per year, and pushes the Himalayas higher in the process. Erosion wears the massive mountains down and the rivers deposit these sediments in the valleys and lowlands. The collision then folds these sediments forming mountain ragnes like the Salt Range.

Salt acts like a lubricant detaching the sediments above from the crust beneath it. As the range rises, it is also eroded, in an endless cycle. (8),(9)

Composition of Himalayan Salt

Researchers in Australia(11) analyzed the chemical composition of pink salt from the Himalayas and also sourced from rock salt mines in Brazil and Peru.
They found a wide variation in the minerals contained in the salt samples, and even found one (from Peru) whose level of lead exceeded the maximum levels set by the Food Standards of Australia and New Zealand.

In comparison to regular white table salt (TS), they found the following elements (quantities are given in mg):

Darker colored salt contained higher mineral content compared to lighter colored samples. The pink tint is given by iron oxide traces and impurities in the soil.

The trace elements (minerals) found in pink salt are nutrients, but to obtain the recommended daily allowance of these elements, you would have to ingest over 30 g of Himalayan salt per day (6 tsp) and this level exceeds the RDA for sodium. It would have harmful effects on your health.

Risk of Iodine Deficiency

Specialty salts like sea salt, kosher salt, Himalayan salt, and fleur de sel, are not usually iodized. The natural iodine content of these salts is extremely low.

Consuming salt that hasn't been fortified with added iodine can lead to iodine deficiency. The RDA for iodine is around 150 mcg, while these salts contain less than 3.5 mcg per g.(12)

Sodium content of Himalayan Salt vs. regular table salt

Salt, whether rock salt from the Himalayas or sea salt is basically 98% sodium chloride (NaCl).

The other components adding up to 2% are anticaking agents like sodium aluminosilicate or magnesium carbonate. They keep the salt free-flowing. Iodine can also be added as a iodine deficiency preventing agent(more on this below).

In the case of Himalayan salt, it is 98% sodium chloride and the balance (1.99%) is made up of polyhalite (potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, oxygen, hydrogen), 0.01% fluoride and very small amounts of numerous trace minerals. (2),(3)

There is a popular misconception that pink Himalayan salt has a lower content of sodium than regular table salt. However, both types of salt contain the same amount of sodium chloride and therefore, of sodium. (3)

Himalayan salt is the same as table salt for hypertension

Despite popular belief that Himalayan salt is a better alternative than regular table salt for people suffering from high blood pressure due to its supposedly lower content of sodium and high content of trace elements, studies have disproved this false notion.
There are no significant differences on the impact of Himalay Salt consumption compared to regular salt on blood pressure. (10)

Traditional Ayurvedic Medicine uses for Himalayan Salt

Sarker, Ghosh, Basy, Jyoti and Sarker (2016)(3) list some of the purported helath benefits of Himalayan salt based on traditional Ayurvedic medicine.
They also mention Himalayn salt side effects: It is not indicated in people with high blood pressure, edema and water retention; and that in very high doses, it may increase blood pressure.

• Respiratory diseases
• Throat and coughs
• Oral Care
• In Baths
• Cramps
• Exfoliant
• Hair treatments
• Joints
• Digestive Health

Respiratory diseases

The salt is dissolved in water to prepare a brine that is used in facial steaming. It is used to treat asthma, bronquitis, and to treat the ears and nose.

Throat and coughs

Gargling with brine prepared with Himalayan salt to relieve sore throat, swelling, tonsils pain and dry cough.

Oral care

Used as a teeth whitener and mouth freshener.

In Baths

As a bath salt, using 1 tablespoon in the bath water it "combats water retention, soothes sore muscles, regulates sleep, detoxifies your body and lowers your blood pressure. It also eases stress and body pains."

Cramps

Drinking rock salt in water relieves muscle cramps.

Skin and Hair Benefits

In India, rock salt is used clean and detoxify the skin and hair.

Exfoliant

Use a salt scrub to exfoliate the skin. It removes dead skin cells protecting it.
Mix 1 Tbsp of rock salt with cleanser or face wash and apply by rubbing it on the skin.

We have also mentioned the use of Himalayan salt in baths, for soaking your body. It can be used in foot baths, as a foot scrub or a hand scrub.

Hair treatments

Removes dead skin cells from the scalp without removing natural oils. Mix salt in your shampoo. Rinse well to remove any residue.

Mix 1 part of conditioner with 1 part of Himalayan salt and apply to your har to add volume. Wash off after 20-30 minutes.

Joints

Ayurvedic medicine uses rock salt dissolved in oils (Dhanwantaram Tailam, Bihat Saindhavadi and Saptavinshati Guggulu), for topical application to treat joint stifness caused by rheumatoid arthritis

Salt is used as a dry heat fomentation. It is heated in a pan, with care so it does not burn or cause discomfort to the skin), packed into a cloth and applied over the affected joint for 4 to 5 minutes.

Digestive health

It is used to treat gastritis, bloating, laxative, to improve appetite and soothe heartburn.

How much salt should you use?

Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of salt

Most of us use too much salt. The consumption of salt exceeds the recommended daily intake levels in most countries: In India, Japan, China and Australia it is about 10 g ⁄ day. This is twice the amount you should eat according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines, which is less than 5 g ⁄ day. (5)

Americans, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) consume eat on average about 8,5 g of salt per day, (6)

The reliance of Americans on processed foods means that roughly 70% of their dietary sodium intake is added outside of their homes. Restaurants and processed foods manufacturers use salt and other chemicals containing sodium in foods as preservatives to keep food safe, as color, flavor and texture enhancers.

The natural salt present in food accounts for only 14.2% of the sodium intake of Americans. (7)

Considering the link between salt intake and heart disease, you should consider reducing your salt intake and reduce the risk of stroke, hypertension and cardiovascular disease.

Closing Comments

Himalayan Salt, has the same content of sodium as regular table salt. It may contain higher levels of trace minerals but at the levels that salt is ingested, they will not impact on your daily requirements. The risk of ingesting Himalayan salt is that it is not fortified with iodine and there is a risk of iodine deficiency.

It has many uses in traditional Ayurvedic medicine. In baths, as exfoliant and for hair treatment among others.

The highest sources of dietary salt (and sodium) are processed foods and those prepared in restaurants. Remember that excessive salt ⁄ sodium intake is associated with high blood pressure and heart disease.