Himalayan pink salt is a pink-hued variety of salt that is sourced near the Himalaya mountains of South Asia. Himalayan salt is believed by many to be a healthier alternative to common table salt, or sodium chloride. Though mined like rock salt, Himalayan pink salt is technically a sea salt.
Himalayan pink salt has emerged as an alternative to regular salt, purportedly because it is less stressful for the body to consume. A number of health benefits are attributed to Himalayan pink salt, as it contains less sodium per serving than ordinary table salt. Table salt contains 2360 milligrams of sodium per teaspoon, whereas a teaspoon of Himalayan pink salt contains 1680 milligrams of sodium — a reduction of about one-third.
Other Himalayan Salt Products
There are also non-dietary Himalayan pink salt products. While there is no concrete evidence showing that they are effective, many people enjoy using salt lamps, salt therapy, and pink salt bath scrubs. Salt lamps are large blocks of salt with a light source in the center. They are purported to kill germs and clean the air.
Pink salt rooms and caves are also popular for halotherapy, also known as salt therapy. Salt therapy is when a person sits in a salt cave or spa full of salt with salty air dispersed throughout the room. Breathing in salted air supposedly has various beneficial effects on the body.
Pink salt is also used in some body scrubs and bath salts, as it’s said to help relieve muscle soreness and exfoliate and moisturize skin.