What is Pink Salt? Does it Have any Benefits?

Himalayan Salt, otherwise known as pink salt, has been popularised in recent years with a wide variety of uses such as cooking to even more creative uses such as lamps to brighten your living room. But what exactly is pink salt? Where does it come from and are the rumours true about its health benefits? On average, Himalayan pink salt is 30 times more expensive than traditional table salt, so there must be something more to it, right?

Pink salt is very similar to regular white salt we are all familiar with; however, all mined salt is unsuitable for human consumption without a purification process that makes it safe to eat.

What Makes Pink Salt Pink?

Despite the name, Himalayan pink salt is more commonly sourced from mines in Pakistan, although some mines do exist in other Himalayan regions. The distinct pink hue of Himalayan salt is caused by mineral impurities. That’s right, there are no additives or process to give the salt it’s flamboyant pink colour, it is mined straight from underground and processed to make it safe to eat.

Pink Salt Uses:

You are likely to have seen pink salt in two forms, the edible pink rock salt – which is becoming more and more popular, as well as a more obscure form, in lamps… that’s right, large chunks of pink salt are hollowed from the bottom to allow space for a bulb and wiring to fit leaving a salt lamp that uses it’s pink hue to give a relaxing atmosphere in your home wherever the lamp is turned on.

People who use salt lamps often claim that they help you sleep, improve your mood or various other medical benefits, but these claims are yet to be clinically proven.

Does Pink Salt Have Benefits?

You may have heard rumours about the many benefits of pink salt for the body, but is there any substance, or are they simply myths made up to sell more pink salt?

Here are some of the most common claims and if they have any weight behind them;

• Pink Salt lamps improve air quality: One of the claimed benefits of lamps is that it 'improves air quality' by acting like a natural filter. According to numerous studies, there is no evidence to support this. (1), (2),
• Pink Salt Lamps Improve Your Mood: According to a study by the US National Institute of Health & their experiment on the effect air ions have on the outcome of your mood – “there is no consistent influence, positive or negative that air ionisation has on sleep, relaxation, mood or anxiety.“ Although there is a need to study this further, it is safe to assume that pink salt has no clear benefit to your mood.
• Edible pink salt has health benefits due to the trace minerals: Unfortunately the science behind the research does not back up this claim. Due to the incredible trace amounts of minerals in pink salt, you are unlikely to achieve any health benefit.
• Pink Salt Aids Hydration:According to medical news today; Although it is true that salt can help balance fluid retention and prevent dehydration - this is true for all kinds of salt and not exclusive to Himalayan Pink Salt.

Although the body does need some level of salt in the diet, we recommended sticking to the 6 grams per day maximum for adults as recommended by the NHS,

There is nothing wrong with using rock salt in your home, however you should know before you make a purchase that many of the claims made by some retailers can be misleading.

Conclusion:

Unfortunately, there is no real evidence to suggest that pink salt will grant you any significant health benefits. If you are considering buying pink Himalayan salt products, do so knowing that you are not getting any improvement over normal rock salt and are purely paying extra for it’s flamboyant pink colour.