Pink Himalayan salt is often promoted as healthier and good for you. It has a lot going for it--it is more expensive, it is pink, it is often sold in fancier stores in unique looking containers. That all makes it seem healthier. But is pink Himalayan Salt Healthy? Is it healthier than regular salt?
Is Pink Himalayan Salt Healthy?
The first important point to consider with salt is the main nutrient in it. What we refer to as salt or table salt is sodium chloride. This is true whether the salt is pink Himalayan or regular white salt.
Sodium is an essential nutrient that is required for muscle contractility and maintaining water balance in the body. Although it is essential, it is also a nutrient that Americans tend to get way more than needed. In excess, sodium can raise blood pressure in some people, and in those with heart failure or kidney disease, it can lead to fluid retention, causing health complications. In short, sodium is not a nutrient most people need more of.
Sodium Content in Pink Himalayan Salt Versus White Salt
You might have heard that pink Himalayan salt is lower in sodium than regular salt. If you measure one teaspoon of each, your spoonful of pink Himalayan salt will contain less sodium. That is not because it is healthier, but because the teaspoonful actually had less salt! The salt crystals of pink Himalayan salt are larger than the salt crystals of regular white salt, so less fits in a spoonful.
If you measure one gram of each, they are nearly identical in sodium content. The miniscule difference is due to the barely higher content of other minerals that are in pink Himalayan salt displacing a tiny amount of the sodium. Pink Himalayan salt is not healthy due to it's supposed lower sodium content.
Other Minerals for Health in Pink Himalayan Salt
But what about all the added health benefits that come from its unique pink color? Many assume that should make pink salt healthy. Pink Himalayan salt is pink due to trace amounts of iron in the salt. The iron oxidizes the same way other metals rust or oxidize, giving it that pretty pink hue.
Pink Himalayan salt also contains other minerals, such as magnesium, calcium, and potassium. These minerals found in pink salt are healthy, but there is a catch. All of these minerals are found in exceedingly small amounts in pink Himalayan salt. Although they are contained in the pink Himalayan salt, one would have to consume a dangerously large amount of the pink Himalayan salt to get any significant amount of these minerals. When compared to regular salt, pink Himalayan salt has almost zero extra minerals, while regular white salt has a bit closer to zero extra minerals.
Reasons to Use Pink Himalayan Salt
Although pink Himalayan salt is clearly not a magical health food, it is still a wonderful part of a healthy diet. The main reason for this is that salt should be part of anyone's diet. Pink Himalayan salt has the added benefits of it being pretty and having a unique flavor. This is not just a minor detail. The hedonic aspects of food are exceedingly important. Eating food can always be a pleasurable experience. Eating food that looks beautiful and tastes good can make the eating experience more satisfying.
My main takeaway message is that you should not eat pink Himalayan salt because it is healthy--or because it is healthier than regular salt. You should eat it if you like the way it looks and tastes.