Why Is Himalayan Salt Pink?
Himalayan salt is becoming popular these days and is used for cooking and decoration by incorporating it into a salt lamp. The pink colour of Himalayan salt makes it distinct from other salts, and it is also worth purchasing pink salt for your household. The small and beautiful crystals of Himalayan salt are not only appealing, but the pink colour contributes to intrinsic beauty. Himalayan salt is usually found in small jars or bottles in kitchen cupboards, but have you ever wondered why the colour of the salt is pink? Read this article to know more about Himalayan salt and also why it is pink in colour.
What Is Himalayan Salt?
Often used as an alternative to table salt, Himalayan salt is one of the purest forms of salt buried under rocks and lava for centuries. The Himalayan salt crystals are available in different forms and colours, ranging from pink to red to orange hues. Pink salt has over 80 trace minerals and is mined from Khewra mines located in Pakistan only.
Where Does This Himalayan Salt Come From?
As the name suggests, Himalayan salt is mined from the deep crust of the Himalayan Mountains. The salt bed was formed through the evaporation of a large ocean body about 800 million years ago, and the salt bed was subsequently covered with lava and one of the world’s largest mountain ranges. As the salt bed was covered with mountains and lava, no other impurities or minerals entered this vast bed of salt. At present, pink salt is mined by hand and broken into pieces using a mechanical crushing process.
Most pink salt in grocery stores comes from the Khewra mine, situated in the eastern part of Pakistan and the North side of India. According to sources, the Khewra salt mine is the second largest mine in the World, mining about 325000 tons of salt every year. The salt mine is so large that it includes a mosque, a post office, and even miniatures of the Great Wall of China, Lahore’s Shimla Hill, and Minar-e-Pakistan of Lahore.
Purity Of Himalayan Salt
While common salt has 97% of sodium chloride, the NaCl content in Himalayan salt ranges from 93-100%. The remaining 7% is in the form of other minerals. Himalayan salt has about 84 minerals compared to common salt, and the significant elements are hydrogen and oxygen. The other elements present in pink salt are potassium, manganese, iron, and zinc.
Why Is Himalayan Salt Pink In Colour?
Apart from sodium and chloride, Himalayan salt contains other trace elements also. The trace elements are which give the exact colour to Himalayan salt. The main minerals like magnesium, potassium, zinc and iron are responsible for the pink colour of this most beneficial salt. The presence of iron oxide in traces also contributes to the pink hue colour, whereas the iron mineral can make the salt look red in colour.
Is Pink Himalayan Salt Beneficial?
The specific characteristics of pink salt make it superior to normal table salt. The pink texture of this salt makes it a perfect choice to add colour to food. Apart from cooking, pink salt is used in exotic lamps, which can be used to create a soothing ambience for your room. Most users claim that Himalayan Salt lamps have made them relax, boost their mood, and provide many other therapeutic advantages.
Conclusion
The trace elements in Himalayan salt make it look pink and have a different taste when compared to normal or kosher salt. Since pink Himalayan salt is expensive, it is not an ingredient that can be used in huge quantities. Pink salt has many benefits, including medical uses, and it also looks pretty beautiful when used to give texture to food items. The benefits of pink salt make it the most opted salt by many people. If you are one of the customers looking for pink Himalayan salt, then you can contact Canada Salt Group Ltd, one of the most trusted and reliable suppliers of salt products all over North America. Contact us for more details.
