- Origin and properties of pink salt
- How to use Himalayan pink salt
- How to recognize true pink salt
- Where to buy
The main benefits of Himalayan pink salt are its greater purity and less sodium when compared to refined common salt. This characteristic makes the Himalayan salt an excellent substitute, especially for hypertensive people, people with kidney failure and with fluid retention problems. Check the amount of sodium in different types of salt here.
Another difference that also deserves to be highlighted is the lower concentration of iodine in the pink salt, since it comes from a region naturally poor in this mineral and is not added by the industry, as is the case with common salt.
Origin and properties of pink salt
The color, texture, moisture and shape of a salt depends on its origin. In the case of pink salt, it is taken from the Himalayan mountain range, a mountain range that covers five countries: Pakistan, India, China, Nepal and Bhutan. Its largest production comes from the Khewra mine, which is in Pakistan and is the second largest salt mine in the world.
The formation of pink salt occurred when volcanic lavas covered salt deposits created when seawater still reached the Himalayan mountains, protecting the salt from all pollution and keeping it in a clean environment, which makes the pink salt from the Himalayas is considered the purest salt on the planet and has a composition that includes more than 80 elements, such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, copper and iron, which is responsible for the pink color of the salt.
How to use Himalayan pink salt
Its flavor is milder than that of common salt and does not interfere in the preparation of the dishes, so it can perfectly replace the refined salt in the preparation and on the table. Foods with a large amount of water and that absorb salt quickly, such as fish and seafood, vegetables and greens, are delicious with pink salt, since it does not steal the flavor of the food.
Because it is a whole salt, pink salt is available for sale in grains, so a salt grinder can be very useful to facilitate the seasoning of foods.
An important tip is to carefully measure the amount used when cooking or seasoning the dish. Because it contains less sodium and has a more delicate flavor, it can lead to overuse, which is not good for health. So, a good idea to get the perfect flavor is to combine it with other natural spices, such as garlic, onion, parsley and chives, for example.
Another way to include pink salt is in the presentation of the dishes. It can also be found in blocks that can be heated to prepare and serve vegetables, fish and shrimp.
How to recognize true pink salt
The best way to recognize whether the salt is true or false is to mix it with approximately 2 tablespoons in a glass of water. If the water turns pink or reddish, the salt is probably false, because the real salt leaves the water just cloudy and doesn't let out color.
Where to buy
Himalayan salt can be found in health food stores or in the healthy eating section of supermarkets. Its price varies between 25 and 50 reais per kilo, although it is also found in smaller packages or with a grinder included.
