Who doesn't love salt? It is a great way to kick the flavor up on just about any dish you are making. It complements other flavors in foods and gives you that salty satisfaction many of us are looking for. But what is salt and what is its purpose in the body? Salt contains an essential trace mineral known as sodium. Our bodies need sodium for several functions including contracting and relaxing muscles, maintaining proper fluid balance and preventing dehydration, sending nervous system impulses, and preventing low blood pressure. What is even more impressive is that recent research has suggested that eating salt can reduce the risk of infection and kill harmful bacteria. Another study done on animals has also shown that salt may have a positive effect on symptoms of depression. So salt can be a good thing, but does all salt stack up the same?
Most people use common table salt when cooking and to season their food. Salt is also used to preserve foods and melt ice on the sidewalks and roadways in the winter. Sea salt has been thought of as a pure and popular variety and often used in households. This is an idea that should be reconsidered after the 2018 study that showed 90% of sea salt contains microplastics. That sure doesn't sound like a pure form of salt that I would want to use in the food for my family.
What do we do if we don't want microplastics on our food but still want the flavor and benefits of salt? The answer may lie deep in a mine in the foothills of the Himalayan mountains in the form of Himalayan pink salt. This pink-colored rock salt is extracted from the Khewra Salt Mine near the Himalayas in Pakistan, which is one of the world's oldest and largest salt mines. The pink salt harvested from the mine is thought to have formed millions of years ago from the evaporation of ancient bodies of water. Blocks of pink salt are hand-extracted and minimally processed to yield an unrefined product that's free of additives and thought to be more natural than table salt. Plus, no microplastics!
This salt has more to offer than a higher level of purity. Himalayan pink salt contains 98% sodium and up to 84 different trace minerals that include common minerals like potassium and calcium, as well as lesser-known minerals like strontium and molybdenum. While these minerals are in small trace amounts and not likely to bring many health benefits on their own, when combined with other nutrient containing foods may add up over time. With that being said, we do know that it contains plenty of sodium which aids in hydration. This is why you can find Himalayan pink salt and other natural mineral salts in our Intra/Post Workout Organic Replenisher to help keep your body hydrated the way mother nature intended!
Even though the trace minerals in Himalayan pink salt don't add up to much in terms of health benefits on their own, this salt still has more to offer than regular table salt. Due to the presence of the trace minerals and the fact that pink salt often has larger crystals than table salt, it contains less sodium per serving. This pink-colored rock salt also has a saltier flavor so you can use a lesser quantity for the same amount of flavor.
We now know that 90% of sea salt contains toxic microplastics that have nothing to due with mother nature, but sadly the hidden additives and impurities don't end there. Most table salt is heavily refined and mixed with anti-caking agents to prevent clumping, such as sodium aluminosilicate or magnesium carbonate. These are all contaminants that you won't find in Himalayan pink salt harvested from the salt mines in the Himalayan mountains.
Many people believe in the ability of Himalayan pink salt to aid in hydration and fluid balance in the body. We have already established sodiums many roles in the body with one of them being fluid balance so its presence in pink salt along with the other hydrating trace minerals give their belief some scientific support. Overall, making the switch to Himalayan pink salt is a purer, more natural choice to table salt. A choice that brings along trace minerals that may benefit fluid balance and hydration of the body. Especially when combined with other mineral-rich foods like the ingredients you can find in our Organic Replenisher.
