Simple Switch: White Table Salt to Unrefined Pink Salt

Let me tell you about an easy swap I have made in our household lately.  (I plan to feature more posts about these little exchanges and aptly title the posts "Simple Switch."  So look for them here and there in the future and see if there are some easy swaps you may want to make for better health, too.)

So, back to the latest switch . . . salt.  This is isn't the first time salt has made an appearance on the blog. I write about taking a bath in salt here and other uses for Epsom salt here, but, the salt that I am referring to here now is the salt you season with, the salt you may add to your food, the salt to bring your dishes alive.

Here is why I made the simple switch from white, regular table salt to Himalayan, pink salt and why you may want to as well:

Why Salt is Important

Salt gets a bad rap, but it is vital to humans for multiple reasons.  It plays an important role in many human systems.  Just to name an important few:

• Salt plays a role in our circulatory system to regulate our blood pressure and our heartbeat as well as help clear the lungs of mucous.

• Our nervous system needs salt as it plays a role in our nerve cells’ communication and information processing.

• The absorption of food in our intestines in our digestive system is helped along with the salt we consume.

• Our muscular system benefits from salt as it helps prevent muscle cramps.

3 Reasons To Toss Out Regular, White, Refined Table Salt 

So, if salt is so important, why is regular, white table salt so wrong?  Here are just a few reasons:

1.  Commercial refined salt is stripped of most of its minerals.  It is difficult to get all the minerals we need to run well each day. The refining process of regular salt only makes it that much harder. The refined salt only leaves sodium and chloride. Further, the mineral iodine typically added into processed salt is usually synthetic, which may be difficult for your body to process properly.


2.  The white salt is white for a reason.  Bleach. Yes, this salt is chemically cleaned, bleached and heated at unnecessary high temperatures.. I wrote more about the cons of bleach here.


3.  White, processed salt is not just salt.  Other agents are added like anti-caking agents to prevent salt from mixing with water in the salt container. These agents also prevent dissolving within our body too which may lead to build up and the depositing in places we do not want - organs and tissues.  Another additive is aluminum silicate to keep maintain a powdery texture. Aluminum is toxic and shown as a potential causes of Alzheimer’s disease.

10+ Benefits to Switching to Himalayan Pink Salt

Himalayan pink salt is a pure, hand-mined salt found within the Himalayan Mountains.  Unlike white table salt, it is unrefined, never bleached, contains no additives and should not be contaminated with any toxins or pollutants. Crystallized over 250 million years ago, the sea beds were covered by lava, protecting the salt from modern-day pollution, The many hues of pink, red and white are an indication of this salt's varying mineral and iron content.

Another unrefined pink salt mined in Utah in the United States is available, although I do not have personal experience using it at this time - only the Himalayan pink salt. It originates from an ancient sea in Utah and claims to contain 62 minerals and is without additives, chemicals, or heat processing. Should I switch to that salt, I will tweet or update this post as well.

If you consider simply swapping out the salt in your shaker or cellar from the processed white granules to the pink, unprocessed granules, you are accessing more than 80 different minerals.  Not bad for a simple shake or sprinkle. And, if you make that swap, those 80+ minerals can do these great things:

1. Strengthen bones 
2. Improve circulation
3. Prevent muscle cramping 
4. Create a better electrolyte balance 
5. Increases hydration 
6. Regulate water levels
7. Aid in better metabolism  
8. Lower blood pressure
9. Help the intestines absorb nutrients 
10. Prevent goiters 

And the flavor is another benefit.  I find it to be delicate and use it just like I used to use regular table salt.  There is no harsh or bitter taste and some say even a bit sweet.

A Cautionary Word about Sea Salt

Many people believe sea salt is a healthy alternative to table salt, and it is indeed better if is the unrefined version.  However, with the high pollution rates of our oceans, it could contain mercury, PCBs and dioxin. (Click on those green links for more information on those.) Reports of oil spills polluting the sea are becoming more frequent as well, unfortunately. So, as with anything we consume, we must consider the source and do the best we can to find its origins.

What about you? Have you made the switch to the pretty pink salt?