Currently, many types of salt are offered on the market. Of course, it’s still the most famous one table saltotherwise called kitchen or brewed. We can also find it on store shelves rock, sea or Himalayan salt. Today we will focus on the first and last. Which salt is worth buying? Is it better to pay more for pink salt, which has been very heavily promoted recently? Check, Is Himalayan salt healthier than white salt?.
Table salt, or sodium chloride, is one of the most popular spices, used every day in kitchens all over the world. Salt is the main source of sodium in our daily food. However, everyone realizes that consuming too much salt is very harmful to our body. It causes water retention in the body, which contributes to the increase in hypertension. However, it is difficult to imagine our everyday life without salt. It is what gives flavor to our food. However, it is worth limiting this salt significantly.
The main source of evaporated salt in Poland is in Ciechocinek. This is where the brine is also used for treatments and inhalations. Rock salt is composed mainly of the mineral halite. Sodium, sodium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, hydrochloric acid and chlorine are obtained from sodium chloride. The latter is used primarily for food purposes and, of course, for preservation.
Harmful table salt? The properties of sodium chloride are generally positive. Even though it is often said that excess salt is very harmful to our body, it is important to remember that salt as a source of sodium is also extremely necessary for us. It contributes to the proper regulation of water management and osmotic pressure. Sodium also has a positive effect on optimal blood pressure and maintaining proper acid-base balance in the body. Despite this, salt is called the white death because it is harmful, but only in excess. It increases blood pressure, which may cause a stroke or heart attack. Additionally, it burdens the kidneys and may contribute to the development of cancer in the body.
So how much salt should we consume so that it does not harm us? It is recommended not to exceed a daily dose of 5 g, i.e. one flat teaspoon. However, it is not only about adding salt to dishes, but also about the salt content in the food products we buy. Unfortunately, salt is most often their main ingredient. It’s worth keeping this in mind.
What is table salt used for? The use of sodium chloride is not only strictly food. Salt, for example, is great at absorbing moisture, helps clean the iron or sharpen knives. Immersing the curtains in salted water for a few minutes will make them whiter and shiny. Salt is also great for removing unpleasant odors in a pot, plate or pan. Sodium chloride perfectly refreshes fabricsfor example carpets. Just sprinkle the fabric with a thick layer of salt and in the morning sweep it with a broom or vacuum it.
What are the characteristics of Himalayan salt? The properties of this ingredient are not as rich as it may seem. Himalayan salt is mined in the eastern belt of the Himalayas and the Karakoram. It contains trace amounts of iron oxide, which is why it is pink in color. Because it is obtained from dry deposits, is often free from harmful contaminants.
Producers of Himalayan salt emphasize that this product contains plenty of minerals and no artificial ingredients. Indeed, pink salt contains minerals such as: copper, fluorine, magnesium, titanium, bromine, sulfur and, for example, chromium. However, you must remember that all these health-promoting ingredients are only 3%. whole Himalayan salt. Therefore, the iron or calcium content is negligible and hardly noticeable to the body. However, it is worth using pink salt in the form of baths, rinses, inhalations or brine, just like table salt.
How can Himalayan salt be used in everyday life? It can be used, among others, in the bathroom. Himalayan salt can be added to the bath to have a positive effect on skin problems. Just add about a kilogram of salt to 4 liters of warm water. The salt must dissolve well. The water temperature should not exceed 37 degrees Celsius. Then it is not worth adding any other preparations, such as soaps or bath liquids. This brine bath should not exceed half an hour. Coarse-grained Himalayan salt can also be used for peelingthat will smooth the skin and prepare it for the absorption of nutrients, for example from moisturizing lotions.
Which of these salts is worth using? Is Himalayan salt really better? It is worth remembering that each of them is a source of sodium. This is an ingredient that is necessary for the proper functioning of our body. However, it cannot be consumed in excess, as it may result in many diseases, including very serious ones. All salt, whether evaporated or pink, contains the same amount of sodium.
Is Himalayan salt healthier because it contains many elements promoted by manufacturers? Theoretically yes. However, it must be remembered that the presence of magnesium or chromium is negligible. It is worth realizing that white salt is iodized. Himalayan salt rarely contains this element. There is no legal obligation to add iodine to pink salt. This is essential for our body, and its deficiency may cause hypothyroidism. It is especially dangerous for children. That is why it has long been mandatory to add it to white salt. You probably didn’t even realize that you consume it practically every day. Why is this happening? In Poland, unfortunately, we do not complain about large amounts of iodine. Soils are very poor in this element, and therefore – it is missing in vegetables.
Is Himalayan salt healthier than white salt? This question is asked by many people, mainly those interested in new products on the market of health-promoting food products. It’s hard to say for sure, that pink salt is a better choice. True it contains valuable elements, but unfortunately not much. Meanwhile table salt is a source of iodine – necessary for our body, but difficult to access on a daily basis.
Source: Terazgotuje.pl
