World Salt Awareness Week is observed annually from March 14 – 20 throughout the globe to spread necessary awareness about the detrimental effects of massive salt consumption and educate people about the gradual need to decrease salt intake to improve overall health and well-being. This worldwide health initiative was first inaugurated in the year 2005, when World Action On Salt, Sugar, And Health (WASSH), a reputed global healthcare group was established and since then, World Salt Awareness Week has been commemorated every year for 7 days, beginning from the second Monday in March.

Also Read: World Salt Awareness Week 2022: 7 Grave Health Problems Due To High Salt Intake

This annual campaign not only creates awareness and educates on salt reduction but also provides access to affordable food products for all and highlights the urgent need for food and beverage manufacturers to diminish the amount of salt in their products to prevent deaths and chronic health conditions due to excessive salt intake.

There is no denying that too much salt consumption is harmful to health and up your blood pressure in a flash, but it is also true that life would just be bland without a pinch of salt in it. Not only is this humble crystal, one of the most versatile ingredients in food, but also plays a key role in promoting overall health.

What Is Salt?

Salt is a crystalline mineral that’s chemically made from sodium and chlorine (NaCl) and often contains several other elements depending upon the place of origin and extraction method. Both sodium and chlorine are essential to life as they are extremely significant for numerous critical biological processes, including:

  • Regulating the electrolyte balance
  • Maintaining and regulating blood pressure
  • Transporting essential nutrients into and out of the cells
  • Helping in the various brain functions
  • Assisting the neurons to send out electrical impulses
  • Aiding digestion
  • Boosting metabolism
  • Fortifying the functions of the adrenal glands

Seeing the multi-faceted benefits of sodium and chlorine, one cannot help but wonder, if the elements that make up salt are so essential for our health, then why does salt have such a bad rep? But people fail to realize that there’s a huge difference between natural salt and the refined stuff we usually put in our food.

Yes, the market is flooded with different varieties of salt, ranging in color, texture, taste, and nutritional value.

In this 2-minute read, we are going to focus on five of the most unrecognized salt variations that can easily substitute refined table salt in your daily cooking.

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The Healthier Salt Variations To Incorporate Into Your Diet

Himalayan Pink Salt

Deemed as the purest salt on earth due to the absence of contaminants like modern-day toxins or pollutants, Pink Himalayan salt is chiefly derived from the mountains of the Himalayas. It contains lower amounts of sodium than table salt and small amounts of essential minerals such as potassium, magnesium, calcium, and iron.  Having a unique pink colour, the Himalayan salt also contains all 84 essential trace elements required by the body. Pink salt is used to make ‘pure’ water, rich in natural salts, drinking which can extensively help in balancing the pH levels, eliminating toxins from the body, boosting your energy, and keeping one hydrated throughout the day. Additionally, it also augments respiratory functions by cleansing the chest and sinuses, boosts digestion, reduces muscle cramps, promotes blood sugar health, and revitalizes the skin through a salt bath.

Sea Salt

Sea Salt is one of the purest and unprocessed forms of salt that is obtained naturally from seawater. Unlike table salt, they are not iodized and are generally produced by evaporating and filtering the salty water obtained from oceans and lakes. Sea salt is primarily rich in minerals from the sea and contains sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, and iodine. Besides preventing dehydration, sea salt relieves rheumatoid arthritis and enhances the functioning of the nervous system, brain, and muscles. Additionally, it also boosts immunity and plays a crucial role in augmenting the skin as well.

Also Read: 5 Spectacular Benefits Of Adding Sea Salt To Your Diet

Kosher Salt

Kosher Salt is naturally present in the form of flakes or long grains and its name comes from its use in preparing kosher foods. Kosher salt doesn’t taste any different than the normal salt we use for cooking. Being low on sodium, Kosher salt is often the salt of choice for people trying to cut back on sodium or those who are suffering from high blood pressure or any other heart disease. It also helps in keeping calcium and other minerals soluble in the blood, regulates neural stimulation, and manages muscle contractions. By facilitating the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, it boosts digestion. Additionally, it helps in regulating the electrolyte balance in the body and retains the normal functions of the blood cells and blood vessels.

Black Salt

Mined from the halite or rock salt mines of India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and certain Himalayan ranges, Black salt or Kala namak has been used since archaic times in traditional Ayurvedic remedies and formulations for its innumerable holistic and therapeutic properties. It usually contains large quantities of sodium chloride and various other components, which bestow it with its characteristic pungent taste and odour and dark purple hue. Black salt is extensively used for remedying the problem of constipation and bloating, relieving painful, inflammatory joints, and treating heartburn and respiratory problems.

Rock Salt

Also known as Sendha namak, Rock Salt is usually obtained after the evaporation of saltwater bodies, mainly lakes. It is unprocessed, raw, has an off-white to pinkish colour, and is devoid of environmental pollutants and chemical components. It usually contains 84 out of the 92 trace elements required by the body including potassium, calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium, copper, and so on. It not only helps in regulating blood sugar and enhancing digestion but also boosts immunity, increases body metabolism, and maintains the natural pH balance in the body. Additionally, its decongestive traits relieve cough, cold and respiratory problems and promote sound sleep.