If you read Chemistry Cachet often, you will notice that many of my recipes or sugar scrubs mention the ingredient Himalayan Pink Sea Salt. I get questions from readers all the time asking me what that is or can they swap out regular salt?
The other day on snapchat (add me 🙂 username alexisroch), I was making a little recipe that is coming soon to the blog, and I had pink sea salt sitting out to use. Someone asked me why I preferred it to regular?
So, I decided to write a post for you to go into a little detail on this subject and give you a chemist’s point of view on the matter
So, why do I use pink sea salt?
PIN THIS: The Truth About Himalayan Pink Salt Benefits
Being a scientist, I decided to investigate this information and see if there was any truth behind it. Sometimes, a topic can get popular in the media and will become a craze that everyone is obsessed with! I hate fades and crazes, so I like to learn the truth about the subject and see what I am really dealing with 🙂
First of all, the truth is all salt is chemically the same as far as structure. Without getting too much into chemistry, salt is a crystalline structure which is what gives it the hard, crystal like look. All salt is made of sodium chloride, or Na (sodium) + Cl (Chloride).
Whether you are using regular salt, sea salt, or pink salt you are getting sodium chloride. Except for Epsom Salt! That is made from magnesium and isn’t the same at all (it is only called salt due to its physical qualities), but that is another subject for another day!
One. It isn’t as refined or processed.
The truth about many of the products we use today is they are heavily refined. Himalayan pink salt is less refined and is stone ground, so it technically isn’t manipulated as much as many regular table salt. Anytime I can eliminate one more processed thing from my diet, I do!
Two. It contains minerals & elements that are good for you.
Unlike regular table salt, pink sea salt actually contains 80+ minerals and elements like magnesium, potassium, calcium, chloride, phosphorus, zinc and iron. The salt is pink due to traces of iron oxide, which is the same compound as rust. This website shows a complete analysis of all the minerals found in pink salt in ppm (parts per million, a very small measurement).
Now, while it does contain all of these minerals, I have to point out that these are TINY amounts. It has less than 1% potassium and calcium, but still more than any other salt. The majority of pink salt is sodium, around 36% as with all salts.
Three. It is great topically.
I really love this salt in scrubs because it does have detoxifying qualities, and it is a great to exfoliate with. Since it has a big structure, it holds up well to mixing with other ingredients, but it is soft enough to not be harsh on your skin.
Regular table salt dissolves in most mixtures, so you don’t get a good scrub from it.
If you have ever looked at the ingredients to organic bath salts or scrubs at the store, the majority of them contain pink salt!
Four. It’s pretty!
Honestly, if something is pink, I like it. It is way prettier than regular salt! I love pretty things so much, I will choose them over something not as pretty any day 😉
Chemist Tips:
What about iodine?
So, iodine was added to table salt starting in the 1920s to eliminate goiter, which is a thyroid malfunction due to iodine deficiency. Back then iodine rich foods were not eaten or even accessible to most people. Today we eat strawberries, potatoes, milk, fish, yogurt, and bananas which all contain iodine. These options were very rarely found in most diets in the early 1900s. So, missing out on regular table salt in this day in time, isn’t as serious as it was back in the 20s.
Bottom Line:
The Himalayan pink salt benefits do outweigh those of regular table salt, but chemically, sodium is sodium! Taste wise, they have no difference in flavor to me! I still use regular iodized salt when I cook foods for my husband, and I like to swap out pink salt when I can.
If you are trying to limit sodium, switching to pink salt will not help you at all. Teaspoon for teaspoon, regular salt and pink salt have almost the same amount of sodium.
When it comes to anything topical, I always use pink salt! The less processed chemicals we put on our skin, the better 🙂
So, what do you think about pink salt benefits? Do you have any other questions like this for a chemist? Email me or comment below! Feel free to follow on Instagram where I am always sharing fun tips! 😉
Follow on Facebook | Bloglovin | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Hometalk
Linking with Met Monday and these link parties!
I knew it was better than table salt, but now I know why I like it, it really makes things taste better to me.
Thanks for sharing on the #OMHGWW this week. Now I have Pinned
Thanks so much Karren! Have a great day!
Love hearing that it actually does have some benefits to it! I love Himalayan Pink Sea Salt so I’m glad I have a scientific reason for spending a little more on it 🙂 And it really does make the most amazing scrubs! <3, Pamela Sequins & Sea Breezes
Thanks girl! It does make scrubs so much better!!!
I love this! There are shops in the tourist area of where I live that sell Himalayan salt as decorative items that are meant to purify your air. Kind of hard to explain if you’ve never seen one, but they are really neat! I also use it in my cooking, too.
I’ve seen that before! I saw a little bath shop once that had little decorative jars or vases I guess is what they were and they were filled with pink salts for air purity. They are so pretty too!
Hi Alexis! Great post/info on Himalayan Pink Salt! I had done a little research myself, but I like getting info from a trusted source. 🙂 I use kosher salt when I cook, but I like the pretty pink crystals… When I was at the spa last year, I had a Himalayan Pink Salt stone massage. They warm these palm sized blocks of HSP and place them on strategic points of the body – felt so good, and the ones under my neck were the best! I wonder how they “disinfected” the salt blocks between customer usage… Thanks for all the great info!
That sounds so amazing! I bet that felt fantastic, I would love to have a massage like that. I need to see if any place around here does that!!
Great post! We have been buying the pink salt for a few years now and so I was glad to read on more of its benefits. I found you via Roses of Inspiration. Have a wonderful week! :
JES @ strangersandpilgrimsonearth.blogspot.com
Thanks so much! I have been using it for many years now, and I really enjoy it 🙂
I’ve been using this type of salt for a little while now. I did know that it was beneficial and less processed than table salt, but I didn’t know all the benefits! Glad I made the switch.
Shannon
Clothes & Quotes
Awesome Shannon! I am glad you stopped by 🙂 Have a great day!
I don’t want to say anything against a scientist, but after living in Iron County, Utah, I thought rust was iron oxide. It is what causes all the beautiful red rocks in So. Utah. ( I thought.) I may be wrong so please let me know. Love Himalayan Pink Salt.
Connie, you are absolutely right! Rust contains iron oxide, which is obviously how the reddish color forms.
My research article (in college) originally stated it is pink due to zinc and iron oxide! Zinc oxide is a white and powder like substance which is also notable on corroded items. Thank you show much for catching that editing error!
I get so excited sharing my research and chemistry facts, it didn’t catch my eye. Thank you again! I have driven through Utah and all those red rocks are beautiful! What a fun place to live!
Have a great day!
One of my friends swears by Himalayan Pink Sea Salt and I’ve been meaning to try it out. The thing is I rarely use salt at all to cook. Where can it be purchased?
I buy it at the grocery store and sometimes I find it in weird places! I was a target the other day and found some in the cooking items section. Like, where they keep canning supplies or kitchen gadgets. I also find it next to the salt or spices. It is usually not too expensive and lasts forever. I don’t use it much either, so I keep the bottles for years 🙂
This is such great information. I truly don’t use that much salt ( but am learning to in order to make my recipes better). Thanks for the information.
Thanks Sheryl!!! Have a great day!
Yes I have seen it in the supermarket and would like to try it myself but haven’t got around to buying any will do soon I hope it is just that we have a fair bit of salt here already including rock salt
I hope you get to try it out soon 🙂
Love that there’s nothing added to it and that’s it good for you. And of course bonus points that it’s so pretty <3
Green Fashionista
Yes!! Being pretty makes it so much better 🙂
AWESOME info! We love Himalayan salt and now I can tell my family WHY it is better for us. Found you on Healthy Living linkup. Pinning and sharing this on my FB page.
Thank you Kim!! Thanks so much for sharing it too 🙂 Have a great day!
Thanks for adding this to the linkup… it’s very informative and I’ll have to pin it. Is there a reason you use Himalayan pink salt instead of Celtic sea salt? I’ve been using the latter and love it, but haven’t really compared. I wonder if they’re comparable, except that one is grey and one is pink.
I have not done much research comparing the two, but i know they are very similar! I have never seen Celtic for sale in my store. If I do, I would be interested in giving it a try to see!
Thanks for the explanation now I can explain to those who ask why I use it. We would love for you to share this information at Celebrate Your Story link party. Here’s the link and we hope you can join us:
http://www.thesweetsensations.com/12-funny-signs-youve-caught-the-diy-bug/. Have a great weekend!
Thank you Sandra! I would love to stop by and link up 🙂
Thanks for the info…I had no idea about it but had heard wonderful things about it. I learn so much form you!
Thanks so much Anne!!! 🙂
Thanks for the great info…I’ve seen a lot about this pink salt lately. And what is the deal with the Himalayan Pink Salt lamps??? Those are all the rage now too
Thanks Kim! Now those I haven’t seen! That sounds interesting!!!
Thanks so much Alexis for linking up at Celebrate Your Story. Have a fun weekend!
Thanks Sandra! Have a wonderful Sunday!
I’ve always wondered if himalayan salt was as great as everyone says. Thanks for clearing that up! I definitely want to try and add it to my cooking more so, as well as try out a pink salt scrub!
Thanks Britney! I hope you enjoy using it! And definitely try it out in a scrub, it is the best 🙂 My rose petal sugar scrub is one of my favorites with the pink salt! Have a great day!
I love Pink salt I am lucky to be able to pick it up in a local shop – I was excited to read this as I wondered what the differences were so thank you for sharing with Pin Worthy Wednesday
That is so great to have it locally! I hope you enjoyed reading, thanks so much!
I see this all the time, and I’ll have to buy some soon for my scrubs. Love the color! Thanks for sharing at Merry Monday! 🙂
It is so great in scrubs! And you definitely can’t beat pink!!
I am so thankful that I found your site! I love your blog, recipes and how you explain things so even I can understand them! You are so talented and thank you so much for sharing that talent! I also live in Texas, and I love it! Thank you!
Thank you Sandy!! I am so happy you found it to and so happy to have you join us here 🙂 I appreciate that! Texas is the best! We live near Fort Worth and love it.
Himalayan salt is really an amazing thing. Not just the edible salt but also other Himalayan salt products such as salt lamps and bath salt. I have been using edible salt, bath salt and Himalayan salt lamps for quite a long time. I just love Himalayan salt. It has so many health benefits as you have mentioned in your article. If you want to know more about different types of Himalayan salt then you can visit the given website of ittefaqco.
Thank you for answering our queries regarding Himalayan salt. You are absolutely right. Its scrub actually works for skin. I am using Himalayan scrub from saltean. This scrub not only detoxify my skin, but also give it instant fresh look.
It does work great in scrubs!
I’m a new subscriber to your blog and I am so happy I was able to read the true story behind “pink Himalayan Sea salt”! What a great article it was! And “Ruger”, is the cutest furry Babe ever! And we have something in common, you said your husband is a Marine! My oldest Son is currently Serving in the Marine Corps, and just re enlisted.. Proudest moment of my life as a Mother was seeing him march across that parade deck on graduation day! I look forward to your newsletters, Thanks so much for the info on Pink Himalayan sea salt!
Thanks Holly! Ruger is such a sweetheart…and such a good big brother to Amelia 🙂 THat is great your son is also in the Marines. Thank you to him for his service! I am so happy to have you join us here on Chemistry Cachet!
Hello Mrs. Alexis,
I absolutely love coming across articles and informative perspective on natural elements which are beneficial to our health. I have learned the simple way to reverse a migraine headache is to take an 1/8 of a teaspoon of Pink Salt with either distilled/alkaline H2o. Due to the makeup of 84 essential minerals which are infact electrolytes. It helps aid proper mineral balances in our brain the healing effects I’ve witnessed are felt almost instantly. Also I liken Pink Salt infused with Distilled water reminds me of the Sodium Chloride you are connected too during an emergency hospital visit through IV therapy. Something I am still researching is the belief that table salt refined some of which are stated on certain brands that does not contain iodine is why some people have developed in certain cases iodine deficiency maybe not however is it safe to say without it being the unaltered Pink salt that table salt is really not helpful. If table salt is deemed the same in structure then the process of refining better stated altering ones natural state to an unnatural state not the same specifically. Technically Na + Cl specifically not the same entirely. What is your opinion on this? Can you include the college in which you studied at if permitted this helps me in my research. – Thanks
Questions:
Is the overall view understood that Pink Salt and Table Salt are not the same because Table salt has been altered “refined”?
Does refining make sense health-wise in long term longevity?
Is table salt without iodine a marker “precursor” to increase cases of Goiter?
Great question! So, 98% of pink salt is sodium chloride while the other 2% is the mineral composition. Both table salt and pink salt contain the same amount of sodium chloride. Health wise, you are getting the same sodium chloride molecule when you eat either type of salt. Since we eat salt in such small amounts, it is very difficult to get all of those mineral benefits that come from pink salt. That being said, table salt is usually refined and contains anti-caking agents like sodium aluminosilicate or magnesium carbonate. So, pink salt is in a more natural state. Both salts are going to give you the same amount of sodium chemistry wise. The iodine factor isn’t as much of a concern in this day in time since we have more balanced diets. You should get all the iodine you need in your daily well-balanced diet, so it isn’t as important to have in your salt. Iodine is a very important part of our diet though.
According to new researches an accumulation of a lot of iron rust may cause dementia or may be a factor. I asked a scientist about it who answered “just to a small degree!”.
The pinkish particles of himalaya salt might be iron rust.
So how do we solve this and what is your view on this?
Rust is hydrated iron oxide…most research says a little rust is fine. In fact, rust from pans is considered to be a healthy in small doses. You would need to ingest a large amount of it to cause issues, so when it comes to salt, you shouldn’t have enough to bother your health.
Instead of Himalayan pink salt consider using Redmond’s Real salt. It is very similar yet supports North American business (Utah). Their website goes into detail about their mine, process, etc. It has a lovely natural mild sweetness I never taste in Himalayan or other salts. It massively reduces the environmental costs of shipping, provides jobs to American workers and, I believe, guarantees safer and better work conditions and higher quality products. ICBW, but think Himalayan comes from various mines and is pooled together with few regulations. If there is info on working conditions etc. I’ve never found it. While researching check out their other products – their Lemon toothpaste is awesome! I’m a Western Canadian trying to buy as close to home as possible.
Hi there. I’m contacting you in reference to your “7 things to add to a gluten free cake mix” advice. So, the salt… my pink salt is in pretty big chunks. Should I grind it finely and then measure 1/2 teaspoon? AND, can I and should I also add the vanilla and coffee? And now that I’m at it, should the instant coffee be dry form or in coffee form (with water already added)? Thanks so much!
Yes, the 1/2 tsp will be the measurement when it is fine. You can add vanilla and coffee as well. Always add dry coffee, liquid would mess up batter consistency.