The pink salt of the Himalayas, the blue salt of Persia, the red salt of Hawaii are just some of the many special salts that we can find on the market. What is their colour due to? Are there any real differences with common kitchen salt? Our dietician, Dr. Morgana Villa, explains it to us.
IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HIMALAYA PINK SALT AND OTHER SPECIAL SALTS?
1. Pink Himalayan salt originates from Pakistan.
2. There is much fake food news circulating on the Himalayan pink salt and other special salts.
3. The amount of salt we can ingest per day is limited.
4. Pink salt from the Himalayas and special salts from other countries worldwide have joined the common table salt on supermarket shelves.
5. Unlike the latter, they do not appear as white but can be of different colours, including pink, blue, red, black, gray ...
6. It is probably because of their colour that we are pushed to buy them despite the important price difference.
7. Girls, if you are interested in understanding the differences between Himalayan pink salt and other special salts, we recommend that you read this post! Are you curious? Let's get started right away!
8. PINK HIMALAYA SALT, WHAT IS IT ABOUT?
9. The pink salt of the Himalayas comes from Pakistan and is characterized by the typical colour that can be presented in different shades.
The characteristic pink colour is due to impurities; more specifically, it is iron oxides.
OTHER TYPES OF SPECIAL SALTS
Although the Himalayan pink salt is the most famous, there are other special salts. These include the blue salt from Persia, the red salt from Hawaii, the black salt from Cyprus, the gray salt from Brittany.
As in the case of pink salt, the colour of these special salts is due to mineral residues typical of the extraction areas.
Some chefs recommend using these special salts with specific foods or special preparations.
PINK SALT OF THE HIMALAYA: PROPERTIES AND BENEFITS
Searching on the internet for information on the properties and benefits of Himalayan pink salt, it is easy to come across a series of fake news.
There are indeed buffaloes on his account for all tastes. For example, pink Himalayan salt is said to help fight water retention and reduce blood pressure. You can also read about its effects in counteracting the appearance of aging signs and promoting regular and healthy rest—obviously all without supporting scientific evidence. Unfortunately, many sites praise and recommend using this product, describing it as miraculous.
The pink salt of the Himalayas does not have particular properties and benefits that make it different from common salt and even less than they can promote its consumption.
The same goes for the other special salts, of course, whether it's the blue salt from Persia or the red one from Hawaii.
ARE PINK HIMALAYA SALTS AND SPECIAL SALTS DIFFERENT?
While in common table salt, which appears white, we essentially find sodium chloride, some residues impurities change their colour in these special salts.
Iron oxide residues can be found in the pink salt of the Himalayas; in the red salt of Hawaii, there is the sandy clay typical of the Pacific islands.
Although these residues provide the special salts with a more captivating colour from a visual point of view, they do not bring any properties or benefits regarding nutritional characteristics.
The presence of mineral residues does not make them better products than common salt since these are present in traces and, therefore, irrelevant from a nutritional point of view for covering the needs.
The real big difference is undoubtedly the price, much higher than common salt.
WHAT ARE THE RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE CONSUMPTION OF SALT
High consumption of salt carries several health risks. For this reason, the World Health Organization recommends not to exceed 5 grams of salt per day.
The same indications also apply to the pink Himalayan salt and other special salts and, therefore, it is recommended to limit their use.
Fortunately, our palate can adapt to a reduction in the use of salt, especially if this decrease occurs gradually.
Among the possible measures to reduce the use of salt: avoid putting salt on the table enhance the flavour of our dishes by using spices, aromatic herbs, vinegar or lemon juice.
Reduce the consumption of foods rich in salt: salted or canned foods, salty snacks, some cured meats and cheeses.
Very useful is the suggestion to carefully read the nutritional labels and, for the same product, choose the one with the least salt.
A good habit is to taste before salting, as we often tend to add salt without there being a real need.
Girls, for other food-related curiosities, we advise you not to miss these posts:
1) IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HONEY, BROWN SUGAR AND WHITE SUGAR? WHICH ONE TO CHOOSE?
2) CAFFEINE VS. COFFEE, WHAT ARE THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO FOLLOW?
3) CURCUMA: PROPERTIES, BENEFITS AND RECIPES OF THIS SPICE OF ASIAN ORIGIN.